WRYDFEL II DARK TIMES
by jman007
Summary: Follow Brom on his advetures to avenge his beloved Saphira and starts a rebeliion that becomes the varden read as Galbatorix solidifies his power into an empire
1. Chapter 1

The Wyrdfel II

Dark Times

Brom

Belatona

King Abernost

Friend Of The Elves

Council of Dragons

War

Last Of The Riders

Vrael

King Galbatorix

Banishing Of The Names

The Varden

Surda

The Witch And The Wizard

First Victory

Weldon

Mad King

Orwin's Regret

Redemption

Search for an Apprentice

Jaerden and Draco

Assassin

Betrayal

Vengeance

The Secret War of Galbatorix and Jaerden

Morzan's Hunt

Over The Next Seventy-Five Years

Secrets of the Dragons

Epilogue

Part 1. Morzan and Selena

Part 2. Brom and Jeod

Chapter 1. Brom

Brom's world had been turned upside down, his Dragon Saphira was dead and Morzan had killed her. "Morzan!" He screamed into the air, three days had pass since the attack. Brom finally stood up and burned Saphira's body. He took his sword and cut his palm. _"I vow by my own blood that I shall not rest until I avenge you Saphira… I will tare down everything you do Morzan… You shall know my rage…"_

He started walking towards the academy city and as he approached the wall he could see smoke rising up from the city. Parts of the wall had been torn down. When he entered the city many of the houses were either blown apart or burned to the ground. A Dragon lay over the fountain in the city square, the fountain itself had been smashed when the Dragon fell onto it. The Dragons body had numerous cuts and gashes. Brom looked away at the sight of the scavenger birds feasting on the dead Dragon. He walked several more blocks and found another Dragon that had smashed through a house. The most horrific thing was the heads of the riders on poles. Brom fell to his knees breathing heavily and ordering his thoughts.

("You have always been stronger than Morzan…") Saphira's words echoed in his mind. Brom stood up and continued on to the palace. Parts of the Academy were still on fire. "Help me!" Brom ran to a wagon where an Elf lay on his back. "_Letta!_" He screamed. The wagon was turned over and he knelt beside the Elf.

_"Here let me heal you!" _Brom said.

"_Yo...u cann...ot – A Rider...w...ho...rode...a...Blu...e...Dra...Dragon ...stabbed me with a crystal dagger...I...I...am dying."_

Brom sat with the Elf until he passed into the void. He scooped up his body and buried him. Then Brom went to the well and scryed as much of Alagaesia as he could. Two things caught his attention, the evacuation of Gilead and the movements of the riders. He entered the palace and salvaged what he could. Then he went to the docks, fixed a boat and rowed to the shore. From there Brom traveled south to Narda where he demanded to see the King of Narda.

"King Meroth will see you now." The Captain of the Guard said to Brom as he sat in the foyer waiting. The Captain led him to the King's study.

"Brom I have heard your name in conjunction with another Rider."

"Yes Morzan!" Brom said his name as if he had the most disgusting thing in his mouth.

"I am aware of the attack on Vroengard. All of Alagaesia is up in arms."

"Your majesty I need your help. Galbatorix and his followers planned this attack very carefully, but your help I may be able to counter them."

"What do you need?"

"I need gold, weapons, safe houses and volunteers! Men and women I can train as spies. They don't necessarily have to use magic but they must know how to keep secrets and others from entering their minds. I shall train them myself."

"I will help you with what I can, but wouldn't our time be better spent aiding the Riders against these Oathbreakers?"

Brome shook his head, "This is just a safety net encase they win."

"Surely you don't believe that Galbatorix and his Foresworn can defeat the entire order."

"If you had seen what I had seen your majesty – Look I have my reasons. Galbatorix plotted and planned in the shadows and we must fight fire with fire."

The King sighed, "Sir I will help you, but fighting fire with fire leaves everything burned."

So for the next few days Brom plotted and planned his revenge against Morzan and the Foresworn. His first task was to set up a spy network and create caches of weapons throughout the land. It took him three weeks to organize the spies. He worked closely with the king of Narda to move large amounts of gold from one place to another. When he was done all Brom could do now was sit and wait for the Foresworn to make their next move.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Belatona

Shaw had finally made it to Belatona, he was under Galbatorix's orders to help King Xastell free himself from prison. Xastell then would hold the people of the city hostage with the secret army hiding in the city and the lake. Shaw rode a horse to the palace with a fake letter from Vrael. It was an order to have the king brought to Illearia.

When he reached the courtyard, Shaw tethered the horse and told the guard why he was there. "Your majesty…" He said bowing to Queen Analee as he handed her royal Vizier the letter. He broke the seal and read it to Queen Analee.

"Why is my husband being transferred?"

"I know not my lady…"

"I do not agree with my husband's politics but I still love him…"

"Its just a transfer my lady…"

Analee went to the prison with the captain of her guard and Shaw. "My faithful wife… What is going on?"

"This is Shaw a Vassal of the Riders he is taking you to Ilirea…"

"Do not worry my lord the twisted flame will keep you warm in these troubled times…" Analee and the captain of the guard had no idea what Shaw meant by those words, but Xastell smiled to himself.

Soldiers working for Galbatorix ambushed the men escorting Xastell when they reached the city square.

Shaw reached into his robe and handed Xastell a note from Galbatorix when he was freed from his shackles. Several men went to the main gates and killed the soldiers then they opened them for their comrades. They swarmed into the city killing the city guard as they made their way to the palace. Queen Analee tried escaping through a secret passage, but when it opened her husband Xastell was waiting with three hundred soldiers. By late evening the entire city was under Xastell's control.

"How can you do this to me your wife… Your subjects…"

He laughed, "Galbatorix promised me power… and I shall have it…" He extended his hand, "Come with me wife… Join me in the new age…"

"I would rather die!" She defiantly replied.

He laughed, "Take her away…"

The torches in the thrown room flickered and spewed flames. The flames spiraled around the room and came together to form Durza.

"A Shade…" One of the soldiers screamed drawing his sword.

"Put that away fool…" Xastell said. He bowed, "Welcome my lord Durza…"

"Is the city secure?"

"Yes…"

"Then it is time to spring the trap…"

Three members of the forsworn flew around the city to get the attention of the Riders. It was an elaborate ruse to draw the riders away from Ilirea.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. King Abernost

King Abernost walked beside Vrael as he headed to the courtyard where Tiamax and half the Elder Riders were waiting. "Galbatorix has struck… The Forsworn are in Belatona…"

"Then I should ride with you into battle…"

"No…" Vrael stopped to face Abernost. "…If I fall …Alagaesia will need strong leaders… The other masters will need you to rally the humans against Galbatorix…"

"To think I honored that oath breaker at my table…"

Vrael smiled, "He fooled us all… If I had not been so arrogant…"

"You did what you thought was right…"

They interlocked arms then Vrael climbed onto Tiamax's back and up into the sky they went with Shianlou, Oauleth, Fewuin, Vanour, Shihar, and Caphius following on their dragons.

From behind the safety of a cloud Galbatorix, Morzan, and Orwin stood on the edge of the floating iceberg watching Vrael and six masters fly towards the east.

"They fell for it…" Morzan said holding his hand out to Orwin who gave him three crowns.

Orwin snorted, "For all his power Vrael is very foolish…"

Galbatorix looked right then left, "We will attack at sunset… Morzan tell Durza that Vrael is on the way… evacuate the troops now…" Morzan saluted and ran off. "Orwin have the island set down on the river…" He saluted and went to the great jewel that kept the island in the air and fueled all the spells of the iceberg.

The sun had set and Oromis sat in his private study going over the maps of Alagaesia. "It makes no sense…" He said aloud.

Glaedr raised his head and looked at the elf, ("What do you speak of…")

He ran his hand through his hair, ("Galbatorix's attack on Belatona… There is no logic to it…")

Glaedr snorted fire from his nose, ("None that we understand…")

("Attacking Belatona leaves him open for attack from Dras Leona, Teirm, or Feinster… Unless he wants to draw us away to attack Gilead which makes more since…")

("There are over two hundred Riders and their dragons protecting Gilead…")

Oromis was about to respond when his room was shaken by a great explosion. He ran to the window and fell backwards when the Dragon Ora flew by the window. He rolled onto his back and came up on his knees as Foromir walked into the study from the balcony. He summoned Naegling to his hand and got ready to fight.

Glaedr roared and spewed fire at him, but the flames whipped around into a ball and flew back at Glaedr. The ball of fire exploded in front of him throwing the gold dragon across the room and into the wall. Kialandi was behind Foromir and she jumped over the towering man bringing her sword down on Glaedr's left claw. He roared in pain as she raised her sword to finish the dragon off.

"Noooo!" Oromis screamed leaping across the room, he blocked her blade just in time, but Foromir had joined Kialandi and the three began their duel.

Shruiken was on the highest tower of the palace roaring into the air with Galbatorix on his back. Around them the rest of the forsworn rained fire on the surrounding houses near the palace. Men, women, and children screamed as they ran from wave after wave of soldiers marching into the city. Galbatorix laughed as smoke arose from the city. He spotted three Riders flying towards him, Shruiken leapt into the air charging the three dragons. SaKaul and Axhema were one of the three charging him, both dragon and rider graduated the same time as Galbatorix. Galbatorix attacked her mind in search of her true name, he yanked the information from her mind and ordered SaKaul to attack other Riders.

"Oath Breaker…" The lead elf yelled riding his brown dragon.

His dragon was bigger than Shruiken, but Shruiken was stronger leaving bloody furrows and huge gashes on the brown dragon's wings and neck. Galbatorix swung his sword and cut off the dragon's right wing. "_Sadar Skulbulba Garjla Brisinger Dathka…"_ Galbatorix used the burning curse on SaKaul and Axhema when they had killed the other rider and dragon.

Shruiken looped around and attacked Mendale and his dragon Kam. As the two dragons grappled Mendale and Galbatorix fought from their backs. After eleven blows Mendale yelped when his hand was cut off. His sword tumbled through the air with the hand still attached. As they approached the roof of the palace Shruiken shoved

Kam down and pulled up at the last minute. Kam's body smashed through the roof, ripping large gashes into his wings. The dragon hit the floor crushing his rider and a few soldiers trying to hold the palace.

"My lord we must escape…" The royal Vizier said to King Abernost.

"This is my castle I am not going anywhere…" The man tried to protest. "Take my wife and children… Get them to safety…"

As the royal Vizier obeyed King Abernost, his royal guard, and six spellcasters stood in the thrown room ready for battle.

The elf who came to Terron's farm was fighting to defend the city as well. ("He is mine!") Terron screamed with his mind from Saphron's back. The blue monster of a dragon slammed into the white dragon. "You will pay for what you did to my father Elf…" He stabbed the elf in the chest after he parried the first attack. Saphron snapped the white dragon's neck and they allowed the body to fall to the ground.

The defenders fought bravely, but they were overwhelmed by the pure carnage of the surprise attack. Lord Redbeard burned his estate in order to save his wife and children. They escaped the city through a secret passageway after he killed forty men. A dust cloud engulfed a group of citizens running through the streets. Elwoth and his black dragon Shadow caused the dust cloud. He said a quick spell heating the dust particles and badly burning the people. He laughed as their screams of torment arose from the cloud.

"Fight… Keep fighting…" Master Bumier yelled at the top of his lungs from the back of his dragon Aurora, "Do not give in to these oathbreakers…"

Bumier and Aurora were perched on the roof of a building trying to inspire the defenders when they spotted Elwoth and his black dragon Shadow diving towards them. ("Let us behead the beheader…") Bumier said to Aurora. She roared and jumped off the roof opening her massive wings. The two dragons slammed into each creating a shock wave of wind that threw people to the ground and shattered glass windows. They separated fifty feet from the ground and Aurora chased Shadow threw the air. They flew low to the ground zipping in and out among the buildings, the whole time Elwoth was laughing. Shadow turned a corner closing his right wing and pushed off the side of a mansion leaving a hole in the side. As Aurora passed the building Elwoth landed on her back behind Bumier and stabbed him killing the master Rider. He then stabbed Aurora in her left shoulder and sent her crashing into a windmill. Before she hit the mill Shadow pulled him off and climbed into the air.

"Chayane you elven witch… It is time you paid for intervening in my affairs…" Durnom said aloud.

"Lets finish it then…"

Jasmon and Vale locked claws biting and hitting each other with their tales. Durnom pulled one of Orwin's crystal daggers from his belt and stabbed the elf in the leg. When she tried to attack his mind something felt off. The wound she received wouldn't heal and every time she called on magic she became weaker. Concerned for his rider Vale broke away and flew off to the south. They were joined by twelve riders, one of whom was an Elder named Sefran.

"_Ok Nun Swevn Rune de hona Keiln…"_ The Dwarf Ahunin screamed, which meant for honor and country. She, her mate Gherndale, and their personal guard fought a never-ending wave of troops storming the east wing of the palace. She roared swinging her axe and cleaving a man in two. A soldier saw an opening and rushed forward, but Ahunin plucked his spear from his hand and spilled his stomach open with her axe. She threw the spear killing General Yelman and blocked an over handed blow from another man. The bodyguard at her left rushed forward and cut the man in half at the waste with his broad sword.

"My Lord General Yelman is dead…" A man with the rank of Captain said to Orwin.

"Pull them back…" As the soldiers pulled back Ahunin, Ghaerndale, and her guards bellowed a victory. One of the dwarves said. "Run you yellow back cowards… _Urn Catz Wen Gull_…" That is when a green ball of light struck the elf in the head. He fell dead at Ahunin's feet.

"_Ete… Inkhaer_… Noooo…" The dwarf was Ahunin's best friend since childhood. He had loved her and always wanted to be her mate, but his family was poor among the dwarves so the next best thing was to be her guard and protect her.

Orwin walked into the east hall addressing them in Dwarf, _"Ahunin Gherndale… No one else need die… Join us and usher in a new era for Alagaesia…"_

Her tear soaked face shot towards his direction and she stood up, her guards looking to her for what to do. Gherndale had a defiant look on his face. _"May Helzvog curse me and deny me entrance into Valhalla if I ever serve oath breakers like you and Galbatorix… A curse on you and all the forsworn… Knurlan with me let us bath our blades in the blood of our enemies…"_

Orwin shook his head, he had always admired the dwarves and their unbending courage in battle, but it was sometimes misplaced. He threw out his hand and Gherndale left his feet flying across the room, he struck the wall and died. The remaining dwarves looked at their fallen leader and charged Orwin. Ahunin wanted to charge, but the rest of the guard helped her to escape the palace.

The battle didn't last long, the dwarves would have beaten Orwin , but his wards made him invincible to their attacks. A pile of Dwarvin bodies lay around Orwin as the soldiers joined him.

The doors to the thrown room fell to the floor and the attackers rushed in and fought with King Abernost's guards. In the first wave, three of Abernost's guards fell to the soldiers compared to eight of the attackers. The spellcasters stood back because Morzan stood in the doorway with his sword Zarroc drawn. He watched in delight as his men fell to the swords of the royal guard.

When the last man fell the guards looked at one another and charged Morzan screaming. Morzan smirked and with one swing two guards fell dead decapitated. He spun into the captain elbowing him in the head and leaned to the side as one of the other guards tried to stab him, but he wound up stabbing the captain. He slit the man's throat, and cut off another's hand. With the hand still attached he picked up the sword and more bodies hit the floor as Morzan fought with both \hands.

Abernost stood behind his spellcasters as they faced Morzan down. They tried to breach his mind and failed, because Morzan was unnaturally strong. In an act of desperation they untied their minds with the head spellcaster and he sent a ball of power at Morzan who placed the jewel in Zarroc's pummel in the path of the ball of magic. When the jewel absorbed the magic Morzan stabbed his blade into the marble floor. A wave of power shot across the floor and threw the spellcasters off their feet. One man was thrown into the ceiling, the second man hit a pillar crushing his spine. The woman went head first into the wall cracking open her skull. The forth man flipped over and landed on his neck breaking it. The last man slid across the floor and split his head open on Zarroc's blade. Morzan stared at Abernost who drew his sword as more soldiers rushed in and surrounded the king.

The sun rose to a battered and broken city, Ilirea had fallen. The soldiers went through the city looting, pillaging, raping, and killing. A few nobles were arrested, but all the commoners were killed or forced into slavery. Hedron, Terron, and Bella walked up the street admiring the destruction they helped to bring down on the greatest city their dragons flew overhead.

('Come to the palace…") It was Morzan's mind who touched them. When they arrived they went strait to the thrown room where the rest of the forsworn waited with Galbatorix. He stood in front of King Abernost's thrown staring down the king.

"I will give you this one chance to hand over your crown… Old man…"

Abernost stood up and sneered, "If you want my crown then you must take it from my cold dead hand… I am King of the brodderring kingdom of the house of Palancar the mad… He is no more, but his blood runs in my veins… If you want my crown face me in a sword duel… I will take you all on…" The forsworn laughed, "…One at a time. Whoever kills me may have my thrown… If you are a true swordsman then face me man to man… No magic…"

Galbatorix smiled, "If that is your wish…"

A space was made and Galbatorix drew his sword Avaless, while Abernost pulled a sword from his scepter, his sword was called lion-heart. Abernost was taller than Galbatorix and he outweighed him by a hundred plus pounds. The King was fast as he arced his blade around towards Galbatorix's mid section. Galbatorix couldn't toy with Abernost because he was a devastating fighter. He was everywhere at once, it was like fighting a well seasoned Rider or an elf. Galbatorix received a slash on his upper arm and his thigh as Abernost twisted into him. Galbatorix elbowed him in the head, but Abernost bent to one knee and kicked Galbatorix in his knee breaking it. Galbatorix stumbled as Abernost roared bearing down on him, he didn't panic as he twisted his sword and stabbed Abernost in the foot and grabbed his sword as he was bringing it down.

The king yanked his foot free of the blade and rolled onto his back to avoid a fatal blow from his own sword. Galbatorix popped his knee back into place and stood up yanking Avaless out of the floor. Abernost seem to shake the pain off his bloody foot and he walked as if nothing had occurred. He held the rest of his specter like a quarter staff. As Galbatorix charged him with both swords, they fought back and forth with the battle in Galbatorix's favor, he kicked the staff out of Abernost's hand and stabbed him with his own blade. Then he decapitated the king.

"Hail Galbatorix!" The assembled riders and spellcasters shouted.

Galbatorix walked up to the thrown and sat down, while he held Abernost's head in his hand.

"Look what we have…" Kialandi said helping Foromir drag Oromis before Morzan.

Oromis spit on Morzan's feet, "That isn't very elf like master…"

"If you are going to kill me then get it over with…"

Morzan smiled, "Why would I kill my former master… If not for you I would not be the man I am today…"

"I didn't teach you to be a traitor…"

"No you like the rest of the elves you looked down on the human riders… Now look at you…"

"No Morzan take a good look at yourself… You are a monster…"

Morzan took a step closer, "Join us… Don't be a fool like Brom… Join us and usher in a new age…"

"The only thing you will usher in is death for yourselves…"

Morzan looked at Foromir, "Where is Glaedr?"

"He escaped…"

Kialandi laughed, "But not before I took this…" She pulled out his claw and a single tear slid down Oromis' cheek.

"Find out all you can from him…"

Morzan turned to leave, "What's the matter Morzan… You too much of a coward to get your hands dirty…"

He stopped, turned, and walked up to Oromis, he stared at him for a second then Morzan punched him in the gut, the elf went to his knees. "Oh I have no problem killing you, but you see Galbatorix wants to know the strength of Ellesmera… Its location and magical defenses… Stuff like that… When we have all your secrets I will personally remove your head…"

That is when one of the Razac entered the room, "You wanted to see me my lord?"

"Yes there is a gold dragon hiding somewhere near Urubaen…"

Oromis raised his head, "Urubaen?"

He smiled looking at his former master, "Yes… Galbatorix has renamed the city…" He returned his attention to the Razac, "Find the gold dragon and kill him, his name is Glaedr."

Galbatorix stood in front of a door protected by all types of spells and magic. He was singing in the ancient language trying to remove the spells. It took him several hours, but he succeeded. When he entered the room, he gasped at the treasure before him. A thousand angry voices screamed in rage at him. The voices echoed from their eldunari and they belonged to dragons. He picked up a purple eldunari and began wrestling with the mind inside. He overcame the dragon inside then he recited an intricate spell and the eldunari vanished in a flash. He was now one with the Eldunari, his power and strength doubled. He had his name slaves remove all the eldunari and place them in a well he created with magic. Galbatorix sealed the well and named it the well of souls. Then he had all the slaves who handled his eldunari killed.

"What are you doing…" Morzan asked.

"Becoming a god my friend… becoming a god…"

"You swore no secrets between the forsworn…"

"And I have no secrets… I have learned something about the dragon's Eldunari… I plan to use that secret to make us stronger… but first I must master the Eldunari before I share them with the others… You will be first… then I will include the others…"

Morzan didn't question him, "Fine then… I have come to tell you that Xastell and Durza are here…"

Galbatorix and the forsworn gathered in the hall of riders with his spellcasters to meet with Durza and Xastell. Galbatorix rewarded him by blessing him with immortality. Together they made plans to recapture Belatona and take over Gilead. They would divide their forces into two groups. Galbatorix and the foresworn would attack Gilead while Durza, Xastell, and the Lethberka attacked Belatona.

When the plan was agreed upon Foromir and Kialandi returned to the task of torturing Oromis. The others prepared for battle and forced the slaves to rebuild the destroyed sections of Ilirea.

("When will it be enough…") Shruiken asked, ("Do you wish to rule a graveyard…")

He smiled, the two of them were on the balcony of Vrael's room. ("It will be enough when the old ways are swept away and my new order stands in its place…")

("And what will you do when the wild dragons gather together and unleash their wrath on you and… The forsworn…") He didn't answer Shruiken, their conversations were becoming more frequent. Sometimes Galbatorix started them and other times it was Shruiken like now, but the dragon seemed to be taunting and mocking Galbatorix. Then there always was the lingering remnants of Jornunvosk's soul inside the both of them.

Vale and the others met up with Vanour and his dragon Summeral who escorted them all to the south two hundred miles north from the village of Milean. Vrael and the others were waiting with a large army made up of Elves and humans. King Hrothgar had ordered all Dwarves to return to the Beors. Sefran explained the attack and how it happened. He also told them that many riders had died and that Oromis was being held captive in Ilirea.

"I don't know what to do for her…" Blodgharm the elf said. "Its like her own magic is killing her… The only cure I can think of is to remove her magical abilities…"

Chayane lay on a bed dying, her dragon Vale tried to help her, but the more energy he poured into her, the sicker she became. Vrael placed a hand on her sweaty forehead.

('There must be something we can do…") Vale asked.

"_I am sorry there is not…" _Vrael said in the ancient language.

Vrael stood on the outskirts of the camp staring at the sky when he was joined by Tiamax. ("The time has come for us to talk… as dragon and Rider… Galbatorix started this war and he is winning it… He has damaged us five times… He killed Masters Shou, Derjon and many others… Dragons have died at his hand… He killed the young Orswan and kidnapped Shruiken… I can't bare to speak his other crimes… The Dwarves are running like frightened rabbits to their mountains… We need help… Summon all the remaining Riders to the Jiet River and let me fly to my father… we need the wild dragons if we are to put down this evil…")

He looked at the dragon and smiled, ("Go to your father and ask his help… I will do as you suggest…") Tiamax crouched low to fly off, but Vrael called to him. ("Tiamax… Be careful my friend…") The dragon licked the elf and took off.

"Where is he going…" Safren asked.

"To ask Onex for help…" He turned to face the younger elf. "Send a call out to all the remaining Riders… We will make our stand near the plains of the Jiet River…"

"I will do as you say Vrael…" His expression saddened. "Chayane is dead… and her dragon Vale has gone off to fight the forsworn… Alone…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Friend Of The Elves

When Ilirea fell Brom had been watching through an enchanted mirror. He saw Oromis tortured by Foromir and Kialandi. He bought a horse, packed his sack, and left that day, after covering his dragon mark in a magic dye he made. King Morn offered to send some of his troops with him, but Brom refused.

("If I could fly… I could make better time…") He thought to himself on the second day of his journey. ("Why not fly…") Brom used the energy stored in his sword to fuel the spell. He flew for half a day melting away the leagues and when the jewel was almost empty he landed. He walked across the ground using the sunlight to restore the energy in the jewel. Brom was getting ready to leap back into the air when he spotted some men riding towards him.

"The twisted flame burns brightly…" The leader said.

Brom grew angry because he knew the phrase meant that these men served Galbatorix. He learned about the phrase while he was in Narda. He sneered and lopped the man's head off. Brom cut the horse's leg off and killed the other man with magic. When it was over five men lay dead at his feat, the sixth man he left alive to interrogate. After he thoroughly scanned the man's mind, then he killed him and flew off.

On the third day of travel Brom had come to the other side of the spine several hundred miles south of Utgard. He walked until his sword was full again but before he took off, Brom checked Gilead. The battle was still raging and the forsworn were winning. Brom was about to release the magic when he spotted Vale. He watched the dragon of his friend Chayane until he died at the hands of Durnom. He closed his eyes and released the magic unable to watch anymore.

("Come on Brom… Keep moving…") The vow he made in the ancient language allowed him to keep pushing himself beyond his normal means. On the fourth day of travel he had arrived at the edge of the branch to the Ramr river. He rested and as he did Brom felt a familiar presence in his mind. He looked up to see Glaedr being chased by three Lethberka. Two of them had Razac riding on their backs, the largest Lethberka, the leader had no rider.

("Master… I am here…")

When Glaedr received the mental summons he dove to the ground with his wings tucked to the side. When he was a few feet from the ground Brom leapt to his back grabbing one of his spikes and pulled himself onto the hollow of his neck. As Glaedr pulled up Brom knocked an arrow and twisted his torso around gripping Glaedr with his legs.

He aimed at the Lethberka crying, _"Brisinger…" _In the ancient language. The arrow zipped through the air with a spark of blue light on the arrowhead. When the arrow hit the Lethberka in the head, the creature burst into flames and fell from the sky like a shooting star.

Brom shot another arrow wounding the Razac on the shoulder.

("Master!") He screamed with his mind.

("Go!") Glaedr rumbled.

As Glaedr went into a loop Brom tumbled through the air swinging his sword. Blood splattered across his tunic and face as the blade severed flesh and bone. The Lethberka's body went limp as it's head tumbled through the air. As Glaedr completed his loop Brom landed on the dragons back.

("Oh no you will not escape…") Glaedr said with a roar as he chased the last Lethberka. He snapped at the bat-like creatures tail, causing it to screech in pain. Glaedr reared his head back and bathed the lethberka in a torrent of golden flames. With it's wings singed it became harder and harder to fly. With a swipe of his good claw Glaedr killed the Razac on its back, then he extended his neck and caught the Lethberka in the middle of its neck. With a violent shake the Lethberka plummeted out of the sky. Glaedr searched for the last Razac, because its body wasn't with the corpse of the other Lethberka.

"May I heal your wound Master…" Brom asked after they found a place to rest without drawing attention to themselves.

("Yes…") It only took a few minutes as Brom used Glaedr's strength to remove the infection and seal off the wound. Glaedr thanked Brom by licking him.

("I am sorry master that I cannot restore your paw…")

("You have done well little one… Thank you… ") Glaedr could see the great hurt in Brom's eyes. ("Do not let your heart turn to ice young one… Saphira would not want that…")

He started breathing heavy, "All that is left for me master is vengeance… Morzan will suffer even if it takes me a thousand years…"

Glaedr snorted, ("Oromis is in Ilirea… A prisoner of the forsworn… I cannot feel him anymore…") He replied changing the conversation.

"He lives master… I screed him last night, but we must hurry Galbatorix and the forsworn will return to Ilirea soon the battle of Gilead has been decided…"

("I have not eaten in five days…")

"Wait here master… I shall return shortly…" Brom returned with two dear he had killed with magic. He dropped them before the gold dragon and kept watch while Glaedr ate.

("Aren't you hungry?")

"For vengeance…"

("Brom…")

"Let me have my hate master… It gives me focus…"

Glaedr chewed on the deer watching Brom in great concern. He had never seen Brom that angry in his life. ("I am done… Let us be off…") He said cracking the second deer's leg in his mouth and lapping up the blood.

Brom used the invisibility spell using Glaedr's strength to fuel the spell for both of them. Then they were off heading towards Illearia. When they reached the city a tear ran down Brom's face at the sight of all the people reduced to slavery and forced to rebuild the city. Glaedr flew low enough for Brom to jump off and land on the roof of a mansion.

("I will summon you master when I have Master Oromis…") Brom snuck into the palace disguised as a soldier. He went to the dungeons and found a fat jailor drinking from a bottle. He took control of the man's mind and made him take him to Oromis' cell.

Oromis sat chained to the wall looking worn and tired. He seemed to have the look of someone who had lived long beyond his years. ('Master… It is me… Brom… You are safe now…") He looked up and smiled. Brom put an illusion on the jailor and chained him to the wall. Then he dressed Oromis in soldier's armor and together they made their way up to his old stateroom, after freeing the other prisoners. Just as they were climbing onto Glaedr's back Galbatorix and the forsworn could be seen in the distance.

("What are you doing…") Glaedr barked.

"Leaving a message for my old friend…"

Brom wrote the message in blood and it read;

_Death to the Foresworn and all oath breakers… Death to Galbatorix… Morzan I will see you soon… Brom…_

Glaedr leapt into the air unseen and headed northwest towards the forest of Duweldenvarden. When Galbatorix read the message in blood he was furious, because Brom had not only freed Oromis he had also freed all of his prisoners.

"You should have killed him when you had the chance…" Galbatorix said to Morzan.

"He is nothing without his dragon…"

Galbatorix sneered, "Then you are a fool to believe that…"

"I will kill him…" Morzan replied in anger.

When Glaedr stopped it was two days later and the sun was setting. He landed on the slopes of mount Marna in the Hadarac Desert. Lake Isentar could be seen in the distance and hazy outline of Gilead. With Glaedr's help Brom put wards up so that no one could spy on them.

"Master are you alright…"

"Not as well as I would like to be…" He tried to reassure Brom with a smile, but it didn't work, "I am broken Brom… Kialandi and Foromir broke me… I feel my age catching up with me… Whatever they did to me causes the magic of my body to slip away…"

Brom felt compassion for the elf, "Perhaps this may help…" Brom gathered what strength he had gotten from Saphira and poured into Oromis.

He tried to protest, but it was too late. "You should not have done that…" Oromis said feeling stronger every second.

"It is the least I can do Master…"

("I too shall do what I can…") Glaedr said breathing his breath on Oromis.

Tears welled up in his eyes, "Thank you both…" With that Oromis was able to focus more clearly and create smaller spells that mimicked the enchantments that gave him immortal life. As he traveled Oromis layered the spells on top of each other until they were apart of him. By the time they reached the forest he was able to operate with a slight trimmer every now and then.

"Maybe we should slow our pace…"

"No…" Oromis barked. "We will keep going…"

On the third day they entered the great forest of Duweldenvarden. They passed the mountains to the east and a small one in the west as they angled toward the Capital city of Ellesmera. The three companions came upon a group of elves. One of them was Rhuenon the elf forger. They greeted each other and decided to travel together for safety. When they arrived at the edge of city, they were greeted by Gilderien keeper of the flame of Vandil, and Prince of the House of Miolandra. The elf smiled at all of them and bade them enter.

Elven soldiers escorted them to the royal court of King Evander and Queen Islanzadi. The elven monarchs sat side by side with their daughter Arya standing next to Islanzadi. The elves gasped in disbelief at Glaedr's mortal wound and though he tried to hide it Oromis' ailment could be felt as well.

It was Oromis who spun the tale of the siege on Ilirea and how Brom rescued him. Evander hugged Brom, "_Thank you for your bravery…_ _You all must rest and be guests in my house… Vrael is preparing for war on the plains near the Jiet River… and the wild dragons are gathering as well… Tomorrow we will march and face Galbatorix and his foresworn…"_

They all bowed, _"Forgive my impertinence great Evander but there is no rest for me so long as the forsworn exist I will march tonight…"_

Oromis tried to talk Brom out of leaving early, but he would not heed him. He hugged the elf goodbye and scratched Glaedr behind his jaw. He returned to main road in the pinewood city and had gone two blocks when he saw something strange. A woman a human woman sitting in front of a house knitting. The woman was stout and had blonde curly hair and even stranger was the double bladed dwarven sword at her side.

She addressed him in the ancient language, _"Well are you going to stare at me or come over and speak…"_

Brom cleared his throat and spoke, _"I didn't know human's lived in Ellesmera…"_

She laughed, _"I do not live here… I am visiting a friend…" _She looked up and started laughing again, _"You don't remember me do you…" _

Brom hunched his shoulder's, _"Should I…"_

"_Yes… You and your elf friends accused my master and me of consorting with the forsworn…"_

Brom narrowed his eyes, then it dawned on him, _"Oh… you…"_

Angela rolled her eyes, _"Oh you he says…"_

Brom looked this way and that, _"So where is your master…"_

"_He is dead…"_

Brom sighed, _"I am sorry… How did he die…"_

"_A dark wizard by the name of Casmuss killed him… I will hunt him down and kill the lout… At least my new master won't teach me until I have proven myself… So I will hunt the dung beetle down and remove his head…"_

"_Why are you here in Ellesmera…"_

"_I will march out with the Elves… Maybe Casmuss has joined Galbatorix by now… If not at least I get to be where something is happening…"_

Brom picked up his pack, _"Well it was nice talking with you…"_

"_Are you looking for death… Why the rush? If you continue pushing yourself like that… You will be in no condition to face Morzan when you do catch up with him…"_

Brom dropped his pack, _"How do you know about that?"_

Angela smiled, _"Like Raven before me I like to know as much as possible… Ignorance is something I despise with a passion… Oh despise… I like that word…"_

Brom decided to wait and listen to the woman banter, she seemed to like to hear herself talk. When she started talking about magic, he became annoyed with her nonchalant attitude towards it and life. Brom decided to stay until the next day and he was a guest of Oromis' at his hut. The next day the two said goodbye after Oromis blessed him in the ancient language and off he went with the Elven warriors across the desert towards the plains near the jiet river.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. The Council Of Dragons

They called him earth shaker, fire lord, and wind splitter. When he moved the ground shook and when he roared the sky itself seemed to tremble. His name was Onex stone smasher and he was lord and king of the wild Dragons. Onex was the oldest and strongest dragon alive. He wrestled the thrown from a green dragon named Grune three years after Ahunin created the riders of Vroengard. He had sired many dragons with his mate a gold dragon named Shymdee.

The wild dragons gathered on council rock in northern reaches of Duweldenvarden. There have only been two other times the wild dragons gathered for war. The first time was for their war with the little dwarves. The second was with the pointy-eared elves. Now they must fight along side the riders to save Alagaesia from the oath breakers. While the dragons talked among themselves a large clan of werecats sat in trees listening and watching. Some of them were in their cat forms while others were in their human forms.

The wild dragons rarely used words to speak they communicated in thoughts, feelings and images, but Tiamax addressed the assembled dragons in the ancient language. Standing beside his mother and father.

"_Many of you care nothing for the troubles of the riders… but we made an oath the dragons with the elves… and later on humans… If they fight the oath breakers then so we must as well…"_

An old brown dragon roared and spoke in images of yellow, red, then blue. A river flashed in everyone's mind and it emptied into the sea.

Tiamax growled at the old one, _"Coward…" _He barked.

The werecats flinched and the brown dragon spewed fire into the air challenging Tiamax, but Onex roared and silenced everyone. _"I agree with sand dancer… But the troubles of humans and elves are our troubles as well for our fates are intertwined… The old order has grown lazy… For many a seasons I considered intervening in the rider's order for the sake of balance… but I would bite my own wings off before I allow this oath breaker Galbatorix to lay one hand on any eggs my mate has brought forth…"_

Many of the assembled dragons roared in agreement, but they grew quiet when the leader of the werecat clan stepped forward. _"You all know me… You know my clan and how the werecats fought beside the dragons of old against the elves… I was a kitten in the care of my mother when you dragons made your pact with the elves… My father pleaded with you Onex to convince the elves not to include humans in your pact… And for good reason… look at what this Galbatorix has done… My fathers words and thoughts are apart of me now… Here my wisdom… Give your eggs to the elves… Let them build an army of Riders to fight the madness of the forsworn… Then when Galbatorix is dead you can remove humans from the pact…"_

The dragons looked at each other wondering how Onex would answer. _"Little werecats should mind the things of cats…" _Tiamax said. _"While we build an army of elven riders… Galbatorix grows stronger… Action is needed now…"_

"_Then take action and go to the elves… The forsworn knows not the location of the elven cities… There is no shame in my plan… but speak with our king and seek his council…"_

Onex snorted, _"I have spoken to King Evander on this matter… They march to war and so do we… The decision is made we fly on the morrow at first light…"_

The werecat leader stood in a tall tree facing southeast towards the desert calling his King with his mind. _("My lord I need your council… The wild dragons fly into battle needlessly… Help me convince them to change their minds…"_

There was silence, but then an ancient powerful mind responded, _("There is nothing I can say that would change their minds… Let it be my son… A clan of our kin will help them fight…")_

_("As you say my lord… but my clan will have nothing to do with this madness…") _The next morning the wild dragons flew south towards the plains and the werecats remained behind to watch over their nests.

Chapter 6. War

The foresworn flew in v formation with Galbatorix in the lead and forming the tip of the v. Below Durza road a black stallion with General Varmean on a brown stallion at his side. They rode ahead of the army that numbered over one hundred and fifty thousand troops. They bore Galbatorix's insignia, a twisted flame outlined in red. His army was made up of warlords, pirates, mercenaries, outcasts of the desert tribes, and dark spellcasters. The three remaining Lethberka flew adjacent to foresworn, their four Razac children road horseback with the army. Xastell was in Belatona with the other half of the army holding the territories of Urubaen, Gilead, and Belatona.

A soldier came riding out of the south towards Durza and Varmean, "My lord… They are assembled near the Jiet River waiting for us…"

Durza signaled Galbatorix with his mind and he and the forsworn landed. "Are there any wild dragons with them…" Galbatorix asked after Durza reported.

Durza looked at the scout, "No my lord…"

"What about the Dwarves…" Orwin asked.

"I saw two standards one of the clan Ahunin… and the other of the Dugrimst Ingeitum…"

"Two clans one wants revenge and the other is of Hrothgar… the rest want nothing to do with the war…" Orwin said looking at Galbatorix.

"Durza… General we will make them fight our fight… All I want is to kill Riders and dragons… Hold them until we have killed them all…"

"Wait!" Morzan yelled, "How many riders are there?"

"Over five hundred…"

Galbatorix touched the minds of the forsworn, ("Remember your training…") "Let us fly…" A thunderous cheer went up as the entire army galloped and ran south towards the opposing army.

"Here they come…" Sefran said to Vrael. Vrael raised his hand and the archers got ready. There were over fifty thousand archers and they were stationed in front of the army. When Vrael made a fist, twenty-five thousand of the archers shot at the oncoming army, while the other half shot in the air at the foresworn.

("Now!") Vrael shouted with his mind.

At his command over fifty dragon riders leapt into the air, their dragons billowing a roar to defy the oath breakers. As the riders approached the foresworn remained in formation as they charged the living rainbow of dragons. In the first wave nine riders died or fell from the sky from the burning curse, death phrases, and the crystal daggers of Galbatorix and his forsworn. They flew in a v and when one of the riders tried to separate one of them from the others, the forsworn would switch patterns. They switched into a single line and flew single file in a figure eight. When they finished the maneuver seven more riders fell to their blades and strange magic.

Then they formed a t shape as the riders chased them through the air.

("Break!") Galbatorix ordered with his mind.

Their strange aerial tactics had never been seen before or fought against in the history of the riders. They were outnumbered in the air, but the forsworn were able to confuse, divide, and conquer their enemies. Torren had five riders chasing him, he lead them into the Lethberka who flanked one of them and stabbed a red dragon in her side until she fell out of the sky. Saphron spewed flames from his mouth and Torren turned them into the burning curse catching three of his pursuers.

Brael whipped around and Morzan decapitated a master while Brael assaulted the white dragon's mind. He tore apart the dragons wings and watched it fall from the sky.

"My Lord!" Safren screamed as the pure carnage in the sky unfolded. Vrael raised his hand and sent another wave of Riders into the air. "Perhaps if we joined the battle… We could overwhelm them…"

When Vrael's apprentices died an elf and his maroon dragon he and the rest of the riders leapt into the air on their dragons. ("Vrael is mine!") Galbatorix screamed with his mind. Shruiken and Tiamax slammed into each other biting and clawing at one another. Shruiken pushed Tiamax off and Galbatorix threw a crystal dagger at the dragon, but Vrael leapt off the saddle swinging his sword _Akiro. _The crystal dagger shattered on the blade. Galbatorix stuck his foot up kicking Vrael in the face as he approached him. The elf tumbled through the air as both Shruiken and Tiamax dove towards the elder rider.

Brom and ten elven warriors held the frontlines on their own. The blade of Brom's sword was held parallel to his arm as he spun into a warrior spilling his intestines. Another warrior tried to catch him from behind, but Brom stabbed backwards and spun around decapitating the man. Brom picked up another sword off the ground as a man charged him on a horse. He ran towards the man and jumped over him. Brom flipped over the man crossing his blades on his neck, decapitating him. When he landed on his feet Brom looked up and spotted Morzan.

("Morzan! You coward… Come and face me if you dare…") He said screaming with his mind.

In his mind Brom herd Morzan laughing at him, ('You are not worth my time… Brom knocker…")

Brom gritted his teeth and used the energy in the jewel of his sword to fly into the sky. He dodged through an airfield of dragons and fire. Foromir was coming towards him with five riders chasing him. Brom dove under Ora's right wing as it was coming down and Brom raised his sword leaving a long slash in the wing. He flipped up and over the last rider and spotted Morzan. The jewel had only a drop of energy left, as the last drags of energy was sapped from the jewel Brom grabbed the side of Brael's saddle.

"Hello old friend…"

Brom swung his sword, the blade went through Morzan's greave and into his flesh touching all the way to the bone. He wrenched the sword from his arm and swung again, but Morzan blocked with Zarroc and parried. Brael went into an upside down loop. Brom was dangling from the side, but he held on. Brom slashed the saddle cutting Brael in the process and both he and Morzan tumbled through the air. Morzan used magic to remove his legs from the straps as Brom drew close to him. They fought back and forth with their blades, Brom cut Morzan on his upper thigh and across the face. Morzan caught Brom on the neck, but it wasn't fatal and he cut Brom across the chest. Morzan parried and wrenched Brom's sword from his hand. He stabbed forward but Brom caught his sword hand by the wrist and broke it. Then he punched Morzan in the face breaking his nose. Brom kicked him in the chest drawing his other sword. He was about to kill Morzan, but didn't notice Galbatorix approaching on Shruiken. Shruiken snatched Morzan away from Brom and pulled up into the air with Tiamax and three other dragons chasing.

"Fool!" Morzan screamed as Brael pulled up under Shruiken who dropped Morzan onto Brael's back.

Brom was a hundred feet from the ground, he used his body's energy to slow his decent and he landed on all fours. He stood up cursing Morzan in the ancient language. Brom took stock of the battlefield and noticed that the spellcasters fighting for Galbatorix weren't focusing on the battle. They were focusing their energies on the Forsworn. Galbatorix wasn't trying to win the battle he was focused on trying to kill as many of the riders as he could. He relayed this information to Vrael.

"The wild dragons are coming!" Someone yelled.

When Durza heard the proclamation he dispatched an elf and looked towards the north where a huge group of dragons were flying towards the battle. He quickly called out to Galbatorix and told him what was happening.

("I see them…") He replied, ("All forsworn to me!")

From all corners of the aerial battle the foresworn came to Galbatorix. They formed the v climbing high into the sky. They flew higher than any dragon Tiamax thought could possibly fly. They flew up beyond the blue vale of the sky where the air vanished and the sky became black and held the stars. Tiamax thought they were trying to leave the world behind, but they finally dived towards the army of wild dragons. Shruiken and the foresworn dragons reared their heads back at the same time spewing flames from their mouths. The streams of fire shot out and gathered into a giant ball of flame.

"Oh no…" Vrael whispered as Galbatorix and the foresworn riders all recited the burning curse at once. Galbatorix sneered at Vrael and hurled the ball of cursed flames at the wild dragons.

("Father look out… Those flames are cursed… run and scatter…") Tiamax warned, but it was too late. The ball of fire exploded and many wild dragons died in the heat wave of the cursed flames. Their roars of rage and war turned into whales of torment and pain. Those caught in the middle of the explosion were incinerated instantly. King Evander watched in horror as many dragons fell from the sky as the burning curse cooked them alive. There was a roar that shook the sky and Onex dove out of the clouds he pulled up and roared again.

('He is mine!") Galbatorix said.

He ordered Shruiken to charge the dragon king who was seven times Shruiken's size. When Shruiken got close Onex batted him with one swipe of his claw. Shruiken didn't receive any fatal wounds as Galbatorix's wards protected them both, but they were tossed through the air like a tumble weed in a tornado. When shruiken corrected himself he found Onex on them both again, Shruiken was a fast flyer, but Onex was faster.

("Now!") Galbatorix shouted with his mind. Shruiken tucked his wings, head, and tail into a ball allowing the dragon king to fly pass them. Shruiken opened his wings and started chasing Onex who pulled up and struck them with the force of his mind. Both Shruiken and Galbatorix began to freeze and were imprisoned in a block of ice. Onex roared in victory, but it was short lived as the ice cracked and shattered from around rider and dragon.

("That was new…") Shruiken said.

("Here oh dragon is my power… Know the power of Galbatorix…")

("Galbatorix nooooo…") Shruiken shouted, but his pleas were ignored. Galbatorix's eyes turned black as marble and his body glowed purple the color of the Eldunari he was bonded too. He threw out his left hand and released a beam of purple light with black tendrils. The light burned a hole in Onex's chest and came out the other side. Onex roared his last breath and fell from the sky, the other dragons wild and bonded watched in horror as their king and leader hit the waters of the Jiet River.

("Murderer… Traitor… Oathbreaker…") Tiamax shouted with his mind. He pumped his wings and flew towards Shruiken they slammed into each other creating a shock wave. As they fought the gold dragon Shymdee pulled her mate Onex from the water, Galbatorix's attack killed him and destroyed her mates Eldunari. She mooned over him while the great battle waged around her. She burned his body and looked up into the air at the dying and dead.

_("How did we come to this… Why do our own kin spill the blood of their own kind… Woe to you dragons of the foresworn… You have won nothing my beloved shall be avenged… My beloved shall be avenged…") _

Shymdee roared into the air summoning the wild dragons and then she jumped into the air. They followed her back north towards the forests of Duweldenvarden. When Vrael saw the dragons retreat, he called to Kings Evander and Larkin who was human, Brom and the dwarf general Brumbole. They all agreed and the retreat was sounded. A thunderous cheer went up from Galbatorix's army as the allied forces retreated into the east towards Aberon.

Two days later Brom walked the battlefield of what was now being called the burning plains, because the dragons superheated the peat with the flames of their mouths. The fire burrowed into the ground and it became a barren wasteland, where geysers of flame belched up every now and then. It was called Du Vollar Eldrvarya by the elves. As Brom walked the battlefield he searched for his sword to no avail.

("When I return to Ellesmera I will ask Rhunon to forge me a new sword…") Brom jumped on his horse and galloped towards the east thinking about his fight with Morzan. He held his own against his former friend and bloodied him first and despite all his new found power, Brom was still alive. ("When next we meet Morzan you will die…")

The allied camp lay fifty miles from the city of Cithri and as Brom walked up the screams and torments of Riders who had been touched by the burning curse could be heard. All that could be done for the victims was to make their passing as peaceful as possible. Brom joined Vrael in one of the tents used for the injured.

"I wish Anurin had never created that dam spell…" He looked at Brom, "Did you find your blade…"

"No master… I searched and searched, but it is lost… I thought I would ask Rhunon to make me another the next time I visit Ellesmera…"

They left the tent together and started walking towards the edge in silence. "You fought well today…"

Brom grunted, "Not well enough… Morzan got away…"

"All the forsworn got away…"

King Evander ran up, "The leaders are gathering I came to fetch the two of you…"

When they arrived at the command tent King Larkin was waiting with Blodgharm and a human spellcaster named Jorman. "Where is Brumbole?"

"Gone…" Larkin barked. "The dwarves are retreating…"

"I can't blame them… I feel like running myself…" Jorman said.

"We must fight and save what we can…" Brom barked.

Vrael placed a hand on his shoulder, "Galbatorix has outfoxed us… he has cut off the north and controls all the lands between Ilirea and Belatona… He also controls Gilead…"

"From those three positions his army can strike anywhere in the north…" Larkin said.

"He wants us to fight his fight, but we will keep the army in tact and defend the south…" The allied leaders didn't agree and it was Brom who convinced them to accept the plan although Brom was preparing for the future.

"What about the wild dragons?" Larkin asked, "Have they abandoned us as well…"

Vrael sighed, "Tiamax told me that Shymdee left to hatch the remaining dragon eggs in order to rebuild their numbers and prepare to counter attack…"

Larkin threw his hands up, "Great… we can't wait on the dragons…"

"We will do what we can." Vrael said.

While the allies defended as much of the south as they could Galbatorix directed the war from Belatona. Dras Leona was the first city to surrender to the foresworn, because Galbatorix's army controlled all the main roads in the north. The next city to fall was Feinster, it was Hedron, Bella, and Terron who lead the attack on the city. Kuasta fell to Foromir and Kialandi, while Morzan lead the attack against Teirm. The prideful people of Teirm fought a long bloody battle repelling Galbatorix's forces. It cost Morzan over sixty thousand troops to take the city from the land, sea, and air. Narda surrendered to Orwin without a fight and the King of Narda was executed in the town square. The people of Ceuneon fought but when Durnom and Elwoth set parts of the city on fire the people surrendered. Within three months, Galbatorix controlled the entire northern half of Alagaesia from Feinster to Ceuneon and from the coast to the boarders of the hadarac desert.

King Evander and Vrael fought bravely on the front lines, but in the end King Evander died on Galbatorix's blade. His elven guards were able to carry his body from the battlefield before Galbatorix deformed it. King Evander died in Islanzadi's arms, but before he died he told her to tell their daughter Arya he loved her.

The battle for Aroughs was very costly as both sides suffered tremendous losses. The battle was decided after four long months of siege. Vrael watched in sadness as the forsworn dragons sat on the walls of the city roaring their victory.

"I must return to Ellesmera… not only that if one of our elves was captured by Galbatorix we run the risk of having the locations of our cities revealed to the forsworn…" Islanzadi said explaining her decision to return to the elven city of Ellesmera.

"You don't have to explain anything to me your majesty… Go and preserve our race…"

"I hope the wild dragons rejoin the war soon…"

Vrael smiled, he secretly held no hope for that, because Shymdee had not communicated with Tiamax since the battle of the burning plains. "Be safe…"

"What road will you take…" Brom asked.

"We will travel through the Beors… When we reach Duweldenvarden our spellcasters will place up our most powerful wards and spells…"

Blodgharm interlocked arms with Vrael, "It has been an honor…"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. War

The foresworn flew in v formation with Galbatorix in the lead and forming the tip of the v. Below Durza road a black stallion with General Varmean on a brown stallion at his side. They rode ahead of the army that numbered over one hundred and fifty thousand troops. They bore Galbatorix's insignia, a twisted flame outlined in red. His army was made up of warlords, pirates, mercenaries, outcasts of the desert tribes, and dark spellcasters. The three remaining Lethberka flew adjacent to foresworn, their four Razac children road horseback with the army. Xastell was in Belatona with the other half of the army holding the territories of Urubaen, Gilead, and Belatona.

A soldier came riding out of the south towards Durza and Varmean, "My lord… They are assembled near the Jiet River waiting for us…"

Durza signaled Galbatorix with his mind and he and the forsworn landed. "Are there any wild dragons with them…" Galbatorix asked after Durza reported.

Durza looked at the scout, "No my lord…"

"What about the Dwarves…" Orwin asked.

"I saw two standards one of the clan Ahunin… and the other of the Dugrimst Ingeitum…"

"Two clans one wants revenge and the other is of Hrothgar… the rest want nothing to do with the war…" Orwin said looking at Galbatorix.

"Durza… General we will make them fight our fight… All I want is to kill Riders and dragons… Hold them until we have killed them all…"

"Wait!" Morzan yelled, "How many riders are there?"

"Over five hundred…"

Galbatorix touched the minds of the forsworn, ("Remember your training…") "Let us fly…" A thunderous cheer went up as the entire army galloped and ran south towards the opposing army.

"Here they come…" Sefran said to Vrael. Vrael raised his hand and the archers got ready. There were over fifty thousand archers and they were stationed in front of the army. When Vrael made a fist, twenty-five thousand of the archers shot at the oncoming army, while the other half shot in the air at the foresworn.

("Now!") Vrael shouted with his mind.

At his command over fifty dragon riders leapt into the air, their dragons billowing a roar to defy the oath breakers. As the riders approached the foresworn remained in formation as they charged the living rainbow of dragons. In the first wave nine riders died or fell from the sky from the burning curse, death phrases, and the crystal daggers of Galbatorix and his forsworn. They flew in a v and when one of the riders tried to separate one of them from the others, the forsworn would switch patterns. They switched into a single line and flew single file in a figure eight. When they finished the maneuver seven more riders fell to their blades and strange magic.

Then they formed a t shape as the riders chased them through the air.

("Break!") Galbatorix ordered with his mind.

Their strange aerial tactics had never been seen before or fought against in the history of the riders. They were outnumbered in the air, but the forsworn were able to confuse, divide, and conquer their enemies. Torren had five riders chasing him, he lead them into the Lethberka who flanked one of them and stabbed a red dragon in her side until she fell out of the sky. Saphron spewed flames from his mouth and Torren turned them into the burning curse catching three of his pursuers.

Brael whipped around and Morzan decapitated a master while Brael assaulted the white dragon's mind. He tore apart the dragons wings and watched it fall from the sky.

"My Lord!" Safren screamed as the pure carnage in the sky unfolded. Vrael raised his hand and sent another wave of Riders into the air. "Perhaps if we joined the battle… We could overwhelm them…"

When Vrael's apprentices died an elf and his maroon dragon he and the rest of the riders leapt into the air on their dragons. ("Vrael is mine!") Galbatorix screamed with his mind. Shruiken and Tiamax slammed into each other biting and clawing at one another. Shruiken pushed Tiamax off and Galbatorix threw a crystal dagger at the dragon, but Vrael leapt off the saddle swinging his sword _Akiro. _The crystal dagger shattered on the blade. Galbatorix stuck his foot up kicking Vrael in the face as he approached him. The elf tumbled through the air as both Shruiken and Tiamax dove towards the elder rider.

Brom and ten elven warriors held the frontlines on their own. The blade of Brom's sword was held parallel to his arm as he spun into a warrior spilling his intestines. Another warrior tried to catch him from behind, but Brom stabbed backwards and spun around decapitating the man. Brom picked up another sword off the ground as a man charged him on a horse. He ran towards the man and jumped over him. Brom flipped over the man crossing his blades on his neck, decapitating him. When he landed on his feet Brom looked up and spotted Morzan.

("Morzan! You coward… Come and face me if you dare…") He said screaming with his mind.

In his mind Brom herd Morzan laughing at him, ('You are not worth my time… Brom knocker…")

Brom gritted his teeth and used the energy in the jewel of his sword to fly into the sky. He dodged through an airfield of dragons and fire. Foromir was coming towards him with five riders chasing him. Brom dove under Ora's right wing as it was coming down and Brom raised his sword leaving a long slash in the wing. He flipped up and over the last rider and spotted Morzan. The jewel had only a drop of energy left, as the last drags of energy was sapped from the jewel Brom grabbed the side of Brael's saddle.

"Hello old friend…"

Brom swung his sword, the blade went through Morzan's greave and into his flesh touching all the way to the bone. He wrenched the sword from his arm and swung again, but Morzan blocked with Zarroc and parried. Brael went into an upside down loop. Brom was dangling from the side, but he held on. Brom slashed the saddle cutting Brael in the process and both he and Morzan tumbled through the air. Morzan used magic to remove his legs from the straps as Brom drew close to him. They fought back and forth with their blades, Brom cut Morzan on his upper thigh and across the face. Morzan caught Brom on the neck, but it wasn't fatal and he cut Brom across the chest. Morzan parried and wrenched Brom's sword from his hand. He stabbed forward but Brom caught his sword hand by the wrist and broke it. Then he punched Morzan in the face breaking his nose. Brom kicked him in the chest drawing his other sword. He was about to kill Morzan, but didn't notice Galbatorix approaching on Shruiken. Shruiken snatched Morzan away from Brom and pulled up into the air with Tiamax and three other dragons chasing.

"Fool!" Morzan screamed as Brael pulled up under Shruiken who dropped Morzan onto Brael's back.

Brom was a hundred feet from the ground, he used his body's energy to slow his decent and he landed on all fours. He stood up cursing Morzan in the ancient language. Brom took stock of the battlefield and noticed that the spellcasters fighting for Galbatorix weren't focusing on the battle. They were focusing their energies on the Forsworn. Galbatorix wasn't trying to win the battle he was focused on trying to kill as many of the riders as he could. He relayed this information to Vrael.

"The wild dragons are coming!" Someone yelled.

When Durza heard the proclamation he dispatched an elf and looked towards the north where a huge group of dragons were flying towards the battle. He quickly called out to Galbatorix and told him what was happening.

("I see them…") He replied, ("All forsworn to me!")

From all corners of the aerial battle the foresworn came to Galbatorix. They formed the v climbing high into the sky. They flew higher than any dragon Tiamax thought could possibly fly. They flew up beyond the blue vale of the sky where the air vanished and the sky became black and held the stars. Tiamax thought they were trying to leave the world behind, but they finally dived towards the army of wild dragons. Shruiken and the foresworn dragons reared their heads back at the same time spewing flames from their mouths. The streams of fire shot out and gathered into a giant ball of flame.

"Oh no…" Vrael whispered as Galbatorix and the foresworn riders all recited the burning curse at once. Galbatorix sneered at Vrael and hurled the ball of cursed flames at the wild dragons.

("Father look out… Those flames are cursed… run and scatter…") Tiamax warned, but it was too late. The ball of fire exploded and many wild dragons died in the heat wave of the cursed flames. Their roars of rage and war turned into whales of torment and pain. Those caught in the middle of the explosion were incinerated instantly. King Evander watched in horror as many dragons fell from the sky as the burning curse cooked them alive. There was a roar that shook the sky and Onex dove out of the clouds he pulled up and roared again.

('He is mine!") Galbatorix said.

He ordered Shruiken to charge the dragon king who was seven times Shruiken's size. When Shruiken got close Onex batted him with one swipe of his claw. Shruiken didn't receive any fatal wounds as Galbatorix's wards protected them both, but they were tossed through the air like a tumble weed in a tornado. When shruiken corrected himself he found Onex on them both again, Shruiken was a fast flyer, but Onex was faster.

("Now!") Galbatorix shouted with his mind. Shruiken tucked his wings, head, and tail into a ball allowing the dragon king to fly pass them. Shruiken opened his wings and started chasing Onex who pulled up and struck them with the force of his mind. Both Shruiken and Galbatorix began to freeze and were imprisoned in a block of ice. Onex roared in victory, but it was short lived as the ice cracked and shattered from around rider and dragon.

("That was new…") Shruiken said.

("Here oh dragon is my power… Know the power of Galbatorix…")

("Galbatorix nooooo…") Shruiken shouted, but his pleas were ignored. Galbatorix's eyes turned black as marble and his body glowed purple the color of the Eldunari he was bonded too. He threw out his left hand and released a beam of purple light with black tendrils. The light burned a hole in Onex's chest and came out the other side. Onex roared his last breath and fell from the sky, the other dragons wild and bonded watched in horror as their king and leader hit the waters of the Jiet River.

("Murderer… Traitor… Oathbreaker…") Tiamax shouted with his mind. He pumped his wings and flew towards Shruiken they slammed into each other creating a shock wave. As they fought the gold dragon Shymdee pulled her mate Onex from the water, Galbatorix's attack killed him and destroyed her mates Eldunari. She mooned over him while the great battle waged around her. She burned his body and looked up into the air at the dying and dead.

_("How did we come to this… Why do our own kin spill the blood of their own kind… Woe to you dragons of the foresworn… You have won nothing my beloved shall be avenged… My beloved shall be avenged…") _

Shymdee roared into the air summoning the wild dragons and then she jumped into the air. They followed her back north towards the forests of Duweldenvarden. When Vrael saw the dragons retreat, he called to Kings Evander and Larkin who was human, Brom and the dwarf general Brumbole. They all agreed and the retreat was sounded. A thunderous cheer went up from Galbatorix's army as the allied forces retreated into the east towards Aberon.

Two days later Brom walked the battlefield of what was now being called the burning plains, because the dragons superheated the peat with the flames of their mouths. The fire burrowed into the ground and it became a barren wasteland, where geysers of flame belched up every now and then. It was called Du Vollar Eldrvarya by the elves. As Brom walked the battlefield he searched for his sword to no avail.

("When I return to Ellesmera I will ask Rhunon to forge me a new sword…") Brom jumped on his horse and galloped towards the east thinking about his fight with Morzan. He held his own against his former friend and bloodied him first and despite all his new found power, Brom was still alive. ("When next we meet Morzan you will die…")

The allied camp lay fifty miles from the city of Cithri and as Brom walked up the screams and torments of Riders who had been touched by the burning curse could be heard. All that could be done for the victims was to make their passing as peaceful as possible. Brom joined Vrael in one of the tents used for the injured.

"I wish Anurin had never created that dam spell…" He looked at Brom, "Did you find your blade…"

"No master… I searched and searched, but it is lost… I thought I would ask Rhunon to make me another the next time I visit Ellesmera…"

They left the tent together and started walking towards the edge in silence. "You fought well today…"

Brom grunted, "Not well enough… Morzan got away…"

"All the forsworn got away…"

King Evander ran up, "The leaders are gathering I came to fetch the two of you…"

When they arrived at the command tent King Larkin was waiting with Blodgharm and a human spellcaster named Jorman. "Where is Brumbole?"

"Gone…" Larkin barked. "The dwarves are retreating…"

"I can't blame them… I feel like running myself…" Jorman said.

"We must fight and save what we can…" Brom barked.

Vrael placed a hand on his shoulder, "Galbatorix has outfoxed us… he has cut off the north and controls all the lands between Ilirea and Belatona… He also controls Gilead…"

"From those three positions his army can strike anywhere in the north…" Larkin said.

"He wants us to fight his fight, but we will keep the army in tact and defend the south…" The allied leaders didn't agree and it was Brom who convinced them to accept the plan although Brom was preparing for the future.

"What about the wild dragons?" Larkin asked, "Have they abandoned us as well…"

Vrael sighed, "Tiamax told me that Shymdee left to hatch the remaining dragon eggs in order to rebuild their numbers and prepare to counter attack…"

Larkin threw his hands up, "Great… we can't wait on the dragons…"

"We will do what we can." Vrael said.

While the allies defended as much of the south as they could Galbatorix directed the war from Belatona. Dras Leona was the first city to surrender to the foresworn, because Galbatorix's army controlled all the main roads in the north. The next city to fall was Feinster, it was Hedron, Bella, and Terron who lead the attack on the city. Kuasta fell to Foromir and Kialandi, while Morzan lead the attack against Teirm. The prideful people of Teirm fought a long bloody battle repelling Galbatorix's forces. It cost Morzan over sixty thousand troops to take the city from the land, sea, and air. Narda surrendered to Orwin without a fight and the King of Narda was executed in the town square. The people of Ceuneon fought but when Durnom and Elwoth set parts of the city on fire the people surrendered. Within three months, Galbatorix controlled the entire northern half of Alagaesia from Feinster to Ceuneon and from the coast to the boarders of the hadarac desert.

King Evander and Vrael fought bravely on the front lines, but in the end King Evander died on Galbatorix's blade. His elven guards were able to carry his body from the battlefield before Galbatorix deformed it. King Evander died in Islanzadi's arms, but before he died he told her to tell their daughter Arya he loved her.

The battle for Aroughs was very costly as both sides suffered tremendous losses. The battle was decided after four long months of siege. Vrael watched in sadness as the forsworn dragons sat on the walls of the city roaring their victory.

"I must return to Ellesmera… not only that if one of our elves was captured by Galbatorix we run the risk of having the locations of our cities revealed to the forsworn…" Islanzadi said explaining her decision to return to the elven city of Ellesmera.

"You don't have to explain anything to me your majesty… Go and preserve our race…"

"I hope the wild dragons rejoin the war soon…"

Vrael smiled, he secretly held no hope for that, because Shymdee had not communicated with Tiamax since the battle of the burning plains. "Be safe…"

"What road will you take…" Brom asked.

"We will travel through the Beors… When we reach Duweldenvarden our spellcasters will place up our most powerful wards and spells…"

Blodgharm interlocked arms with Vrael, "It has been an honor…"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7. Last of The Riders

After Islanzadi left there were only one hundred and nine Riders left alive in Alagaesia. It was Brom who convinced the five cities to unite under King Larkin and form the country of Surda. Aberon became the capital and Larkin was made King of Surda. To protect the newly formed country the remaining Riders ventured north into the domain of the foresworn, killing Galbatorix's servants and warriors, lead by Vrael the remaining riders fought gorilla warfare against the forsworn.

Master Safren was in Teirm with the elf rider Arymon trying to stir up the people to rise up against Galbatorix. Their words fell on def ears as the people feared Galbatorix and the forsworn with a passion.

"Come Master Sefran… The hearts of the men of Teirm has turned to water… The blood of King Abernost is wasted on these people…" The elf's words stung, but no one challenged them. As Sefran and Arymon made their way to the gates a shadow passed over the people. They started running and screaming as a tan colored dragon flew overhead, it was Tiar and Kialandi.

("Jabda… Breewol come, but be careful wherever Kialandi is Foromir is sure to be near…") He turned his attention to Arymon, "You and Breewol escape Jabda and I will hold them off…"

"No we fight together… We die together…"

"Don't argue…"

The two elves ran for the gate, but the street was blocked by Durza and four Razac. "Surrender… and the great and powerful Galbatorix may spare your useless lives…" Durza said.

Both elves drew their swords and jumped to the roof of a store. They leapt from roof to roof towards the wall. When Sefran looked back two Razac were chasing them. Jabda the jade dragon swooped down and picked up both elves. While Jabda carried the two elves, Breewol fought with Tiar and Kianlandi. Jabda looped around and flew towards the blue and sand colored dragon. As he approached Kialandi summoned three spirits that tore the elves to pieces and slammed the dragon Jabda to the ground. Tiar slammed Breewol into the beach near Teirm and held the dragons head beneath the water as the tide was rising. Breewol struggled and thrashed for a good while, but eventually he stopped struggling and died.

("Open his chest and bring me Breewol's Eldunari…") Galbatorix said to her mind. Kialandi obeyed and cut the blue oblong sphere from the dragon's chest. As Kialandi walked to Jabda who was still being held to the ground. She plunged her sword into jabda's chest, but his Eldunari was missing.

Tiar wanted to go hunting and Kialandi decided to walk back to Teirm. As she walked Foromir joined her, "You are a bad little vixen…" He said grabbing her arm and fondling her body.

"You know it…" She said kissing him.

Despite their best efforts the remaining riders were hunted down one by one sacrificing themselves so that Surda could be strong. Fifty Riders attacked the city which was now called Ur'ubaen to fight Galbatorix and the forsworn.

"Where is Vrael!" Galbatorix screamed from Shruiken's back as he killed a human rider and his dragon. An elf and his forest green dragon tackled Shruiken who stuck his left claw in the dragon's lower jaw. With his right claw Shruiken pushed the dragon over and slammed her into the roof of a mansion. Shruiken held the dragon down while Galbatorix held the elf by the throat dangling him over the side. "Where is Vrael?" The elf spit in his face Galbatorix licked his mouth and smiled. "Dieeeee!" He broke the elf's neck and threw him away.

Two dragons roared as they dove out of the sky towards Galbatorix. He raised his hands and caught them in a magical vice. When he brought his hands together both dragons were slammed into each other. Galbatorix threw one into the side of the castle impaling it on a spike. The other he impaled on the wall, ("Vrael… You coward… Come and face me!") He shouted with his mind, but there was no response.

Morzan lead Torren, Hedron, and Bella towards the city of Kuasta where ten riders were waiting. As they approached the heads of men and women who fought for Galbatorix were on poles of the walls. Five dragons sat on the walls with smoke streaming from their noses. Morzan had just finished reciting the spells of power when he felt a familiar presence touch his mind.

He smiled, ("Brom is here…") Brael said.

("I know… It is time we settled things…") He directed his next thoughts to the others as the five dragons leapt off the wall. ("The six of you listen up… Brom is here… Do not underestimate him…")

Saphron killed the first dragon and his rider within the first eight minutes of battle. Morzan killed the next dragon with a stab to the head. As Morzan approached an elf and her dragon flying towards them, the grey dragon dove beneath Brael and as it did Brom came flying off the dragon's back sword drawn. He came flying at Morzan swinging his sword. As he flew over Morzan's head Brom reached out and grabbed one of Brael's spikes behind Morzan. He pulled himself on to the saddle behind Morzan and tried to stab him in the back. The blade was stopped by Morzan's wards.

"Brom you fool…" Morzan said elbowing him in the head. Brom punched Morzan in the back of his head. He grabbed Morzan by the hair and tried to impale his head on the spike in front of him. Morzan grabbed the middle of the spike trying to push back. Brael turned upside down, now Brom held Morzan's arm with his right and with his left hand he still tried to push Morzan's head into the spike.

"Die!" Brom grunted. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Morzan's neck trying to break it. Morzan's eyes rolled in his head as he struggled for air. With the last of his strength Morzan pulled a crystal dagger from his belt and stabbed Brom in the leg, as the energy drained from the blade it took immediate effect. Brom released his hold and dropped but was caught by the elf and dragon he rode on.

_"You don't look so well…" _The elf said to Brom three hours later. Of the ten riders that fought Morzan, Hedron, Terron and Bella only two riders survived.

_"I will be fine…" _They spoke to each other in the ancient language. During his travels, Brom learned that in order to overcome the energy of the crystal daggers the victim had to meditate in order to purge the energy. The elves and their dragons waited while Brom cleansed himself of the energy.

"_What do we do now?"_ The elf asked after Brom had cleansed himself.

_"The two of you will return to Vrael… I have business in the north..."_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8. Vrael

The last of the Riders were dead within three months. Vrael was the only one left. Brom was in the North harassing Morzan, killing Galbatorix's spies, and freeing prisoners of Galbatorix and sending them to Surda. Vrael was raising an army for one last battle with Galbatorix. His army consisted of humans and Elves. He and Tiamax had flown to Tronjheim to convince Hrothgar and the clan lords to fight with him.

They met in the throne room beneath the city of Tronjheim Vrael bowed out of respect. "You don't have to bow to me my friend…" Hrothgar said.

Tiamax snorted, "Tiamax and I are the last… All the others have been killed… I am raising an army for one last battle against Galbatorix. In all humility we need the Dwarves…"

Hrothgar sighed, "I can ask for volunteers to fight with you, beyond that I can do nothing…"

"It will be appreciated…"

Vrael spent the night in Tronjheim, he slept beside Tiamax in the dragon hold. ("If you were free to do what you wished… What would you do?") Tiamax asked.

Vrael smiled, ("I would visit the cities of Duweldenvarden…")

("Aye…") Tiamax snorted, ("Why do we still fight… Let's go and live in Du Weldunvarden… I can convince my mother to hide and build an army… when our strength is at its peak… Then we strike…")

Vrael lay on his back, ("It is a good plan, but while we wait in hiding Galbatorix grows stronger… If it is our time I choose to die fighting…")

("You can hold nothing back when you face Galbatorix…") Tiamax said.

The next day Vrael and Tiamax were flying towards Ellesmera to speak with Queen Islanzadi. While they were in Ellesmera Vrael visited Oromis and Glaedr. The Queen had agreed to send five thousand elves to fight with Vrael. He spent a week in Ellesmera before leaving. Vrael's army gathered near lake Tudusten in the forest. He had fifty thousand humans, five thousand elves, and thirty thousand dwarves.

The gathered warriors stood at attention while Vrael climb a hill and stood beside Tiamax. "This is it… It is us or them… We fight… Not for glory or riches… We fight to let the world know that when evil rises it must be fought and killed… We fight to let the world know that evil can be resisted… We fight to give hope… For I would rather die than hide… I would rather die than submit to evil… Let them know… let them hear… Let them see the rage in your eyes and the courage of your hearts… For a free Alagaesia, we fight!"

The gathered warriors let out a thunderous cheer and marched north towards Urubaen. Galbatorix flew alone in the air on Shruiken. The rest of the forsworn were spread throughout the empire enforcing Galbatorix's will or searching for any riders who may still be alive.

('I see them…") Shruiken said.

("I see them as well…") Galbatorix replied.

Shruiken flew out towards Vrael and Tiamax, while on the ground the army made its way towards the city. Another cheer split the air and a vast army flanked the allies from the east and the west. With a roar Shruiken slammed into Tiamax who spewed fire from his mouth. The flames split in four directions because of the wards. As the dragons fought to dominate each other, Galbatorix fought Vrael with his mind. Galbatorix was an expert at entering people's mind, but when it came to Vrael his mind was a fortress. It was like two heavily armed ships on the sea pounding away at each. When the dragons were a hundred feet from the ground they separated and pulled up. Shruiken and Tiamax flew side by side as they climbed into the air with their backs to each other. Galbatorix and Vrael fought with swords as they fought back and forth. Vrael leaned to the side and slashed Shruiken's saddle without cutting him.

As Galbatorix fell from Shruiken's back with his legs still in the straps Vrael released his straps with magic and dove after him. ("Shruiken listen to me…") Tiamax said calling to the black dragon, ("I can help you if you let me… Vrael and I can free you from that twisted bond you share…")

Shruiken snorted, ("You can't help me… No one can…") They locked up again and tumbled through the air as they bit and clawed at each other.

"Join me Vrael… I can bring about a new order… In your heart you know I am right…"

Their swords whistled back and forth in a deadly melee as they pushed each other to the limits of their abilities. Vrael fought with both hands on his sword and he used his fall to the ground in conjunction with his fighting style. He ignored Galbatorix's words and refused to answer him, which drove Galbatorix to pure rage.

They landed on their feet in the middle of battle as both sides refused to give ground to the other. Five elves and three humans charged Galbatorix and he killed them all with magic. Ten of Galbatorix's soldiers attacked, but they were destroyed by one thought from Vrael. The two riders threw their dragon marked hands out at each other. The dragon marks on their hands glowed brightly and a ball of light began to gather in between their hands. There was a flash and both were thrown apart. Vrael flipped and landed on his feet, Galbatorix hit his back and slid across the ground in disbelief. He slowly got up with his face in a snarl. Vrael leapt over twenty feet and by the time he reached Galbatorix he was one knee. Their swords hit with a resounding clang. Galbatroix broke the stand off and slashed for Vrael's midsection, but Vrael flipped over Galbatorix ruffling his hair like a man would a boy. Galbatorix spun around on one knee swinging for his legs, but Vrael blocked his blade and redirected Avaless. He wrenched the sword from Galbatorix and slashed him across the chest.

Vrael stood over Galbatorix with his sword raised over his head. Galbatorix was breathing heavy. "What will you win if you kill me…" Vrael hesitated as he stared into Galbatorix's eyes.

('What are doing…") Tiamax said shouting with his mind. He had Shruiken pinned to the ground with his mouth wrapped around Shruiken's neck. ("Finish him…")

Galbatorix took the opportunity to slip a crystal dagger from his belt and stab Vrael in the gut with it. He jumped to his feet and did a round house kick breaking Vrael's nose. A blast of power erupted from Shruiken throwing Tiamax off him, but the silver dragon opened his wings and flew towards Vrael who jumped onto the dragon's back as he flew overhead.

Tiamax circled once so that he and Vrael could look on the battlefield, they had lost, every elf and dwarf was dead. The humans that survived surrendered, but Galbatorix used his mind to order his people to kill the prisoners. Tiamax turned northwest towards the spine and Utgard.

("Why did you hesitate? Why didn't you kill him?") Tiamax asked as they flew to Utgard.

Vrael's eyes were closed as Tiamax flew through the air, ("I cannot explain it to you… I saw something in his eyes… Galbatorix is beyond redemption, but I was able to determine his true name… When next we meet I will use his own name against him…")

("You had him beat… You should have killed him…")

("I could not kill him without killing Shruiken… Their bond may be twisted, but they are still connected…")

("Killing Shruiken may not be a bad idea… He is lost to us…")

("Shruiken is a victim in all this…")

Tiamax snorted fire from his nostrils, ("Maybe…")

They flew the rest of the way without saying a word and by sunset the next day they had arrived at the stone outlook of Utgard. It was marble edifice open to the elements and protected by ancient spells. Each pillar had carvings of dragons on them. The center of the floor held the emblem of the riders. The torches lit up via a spell and did not need to be lit. Vrael sat on the floor meditating to purge himself of the negative energy feeding on his own magic. While he meditated Tiamax kept watch.

('Galbatorix will follow us here…") The dragon said.

("I know… he will die here or we will…")

("I hope he does…")

Vrael smiled, he was very powerful and it took all his might to push the energy from his body. It exited his body in the form of black sweat and a repugnant odor came from his skin.

The hours passed and the sun was peaking in the morning hours of first light. Tiamax's eyes panned the distant horizon for any sign of the forsworn or Galbatorix. Tiamax roared when he spotted Shruiken in the distance. ("Here they come…") The dragon said looking back at Vrael. The elf was still meditating. ("I will hold them off as long as I can, but you must hurry…") Vrael acknowledge the dragon with a nod and he took off.

Shruiken roared at Tiamax, they approached each other with their claws out they locked claws and began fighting, but Galbatorix flew out of the saddle into the air towards Utgard. ("Nooo…") Tiamax screamed, but Shruiken would not let him go.

Galbatroix flew between two pillars with his sword pointed out. Vrael was still on his knees, when Galbatorix was six feet from him he swayed to the side into a role and came up on his feet drawing his sword. Galbatorix went into a flip and landed on his feet. He spun around and leapt at Vrael who charged him as well. Their swords hit and they went into complex flurry of attacks, feints, thrusts, and parries. They danced around each other kicking their feet and swinging swords.

Vrael was at a disadvantage because of his wound. He couldn't use magic because of the wound and he had to divide his mind between pushing the negative energy out and fighting Galbatorix. He reflexes slowed, but Vrael was able to hold his own. When Galbatorix elbowed him in the side of the head, Vrael was cut on the upper arm. He screamed and blasted Galbatorix with magic, he left his feet and went flying into a pillar. Vrael fell to his knees as it shattered and broke up, Galbatorix hit the floor and slid to the edge.

Vrael was breathing heavy as the curse took a heavy toll. "One… more piece… of… magic… won't matter…" He eyed the statues in the atrium and touched them with his mind. _"En calla une Seol Fehor buh octeoth…"_ His spell translated I grant you life now fight this oath breaker. Vrael fell to all fours as the curse weakened him even further. As Galbatorix climbed back up all sixteen statues attacked him. Vrael sat up on his knees to meditate while Galbatorix fought the statues.

Galbatorix caught the stone spear and brought his blade down on the shaft. The he threw the spearhead into another statue shattering its head, but it still kept coming towards him. He stabbed the statue at his left and sent a wave of energy from the jewel on his sword through the blade. The statue cracked and fell apart, he took a quick look at Vrael who was using the distraction to cleanse himself. He snarled, because if Vrael regained his full strength there was a slim chance he would loose. He stabbed Avaless' blade into the marble floor releasing all the energy in the jewel. The statues were thrown off their feet and blown apart. Galbatorix starting walking towards Vrael and that is when Tiamax dove into the atrium and slid across the floor. He stopped in front of Galbatorix and roared, but that is when the silver dragon was tackled by Shruiken. They tussled across the floor and fell over the side.

Galbatorix sneered and ran towards Vrael, he brought his sword down, but Vrael blocked and got to his feet. He wasn't completely healed, but he was able to focus better. Galbatorix looked down and kicked Vrael between the legs. He smiled as Vrael whispered something in the ancient language.

_"Brisinger!" _Galbatorix screamed in the ancient language. His blade glowed with a black fire. He swung his sword and Vrael's body went limp and energy rushed from his body. As Vrael's head hit the floor Galbatorix roared in victory. The head rolled three feet and stopped, but the eyes popped open and looked at Galbatorix who was still celebrating.

_"Galbatorix!" _The head screamed in the ancient language, he looked down in disbelief. _"You have won nothing… Immortal you may be… but with my last breath I curse thee… Your bloodline shall end with you… The pleasure of a woman you will feel, but never shall you know the joy of fatherhood… Your seed will be lifeless and dry…"_

Galbatorix's face twisted in horror as the curse rested on him. He leapt forward and stabbed the head with his blade. The eyes closed and Vrael was no more. Galbatorix screamed in rage as he tried to counter the curse, but no matter what he did the curse was unbreakable. He fell to his knees as Shruiken touched his mind. ("Galbatorix!") He jumped up, ran to the edge of the floor and looked down. Shruiken was at the base of Utgard with Tiamax pinned to the ground. He jumped down the side of the mountain and walked up to Tiamax. He plunged his blade into the dragon's heart and Tiamax died. He opened his chest, but Tiamax's Eldunari was gone.

"Come let us return to Urubaen…" Galbatorix said after recovering Vrael's sword.

The moment Galbatorix returned to Urubaen he found himself a young maiden and pleasured himself with her in an attempt to get her pregnant, but he remained unable to impregnate her. The curse not only effected him it also touched Shruiken.

"What's the matter…" Morzan asked walking beside Galbatorix towards the thrown room.

"I am cursed… before he died Vrael cursed me in the ancient language… My bloodline will die with me…"

Morzan raised an eyebrow, "We are immortal… We will live untouched by the ravages of time…"

'Still… I desire an heir… If Melina were alive she would rule at my side…"

"We have other concerns like the empire, rebuilding the order, and that piss ant of a country Surda…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9. King Galbatorix

As King, Galbatorix had to turn his attention to his empire and its citizens. He divided his empire into territories for the forsworn to govern in his name. Foromir and Kialandi ruled Kuasta from the palace. Morzan had a fortress built near the foothills of the spine by Leona Lake. Torren, Hedron, and Bella shared a palace in Ceuneon, while Elwoth ruled the lands of Aroughs. Orwin had a fortress in the forest near lake Tudeston. Durnom ruled Gilead and in Dras Leona, Serra ruled and founded the priests of the helgrind. Baben ruled Narda, in Teirm Philen, Welaer had a fortress at the tip of the spine and Rone ruled from Feinster.

After dividing his empire up Galbatorix turned his attention to the wild dragons. He called out to Shymdee, but all his mental calls were ignored. ("Fool dragon… Ignore me if you wish, but if you wage war on us you will loose… The sky will rain dragon blood… I don't need you the forsworn dragons will mate and give me eggs to build a new order…") To his commanders who fought for him in the war Galbatorix made them earls, barons, and counts. He gave them lavish estates and great wealth.

It was Shruiken who tricked Galbatorix into leaving Surda alone and it wasn't an easy thing to accomplish. As long as Surda didn't openly wage war on him he left King Larkin and his people alone. Galbatorix began taxing his subjects to rebuild the cities damaged by the war. He kept his army fully marshaled and prepared to send half of it into the spine. The army was never seen of or heard from again, after losing half his army in the spine Galbatorix began making plans for the dwarves and the elves. With Orwin's help the forsworn began to train for their aerial raids against the dwarves.

"It would be unwise to send an army into the Beors…" Orwin said. "…The dwarves have many underground passages they could strike anywhere at anytime… If we destroy their above ground cities we can drive them underground and neutralize any threat they may pose…" Galbatoris agreed and left the mission in Orwin's hands.

It was night and the moon was full, the time was the middle of the year planting season for farmers. A lonely man ran from shadow to shadow as he crossed the great plains that led to Urubaen. His name was Graywin and he wanted sanctuary, power, and protection. Fear drove him to seek out Galbatorix. He snuck into the city undetected and made his way to the palace carrying a large leather satchel. He summoned Galabtroix with his mind. They met in the garden and when Galbatroix entered the garden Graywin fell to his knees.

"A gift for my lord… to the great and powerful Galbatroix… May this gift show him that I bare no ill will and that he grant me mercy and sanctuary in his house…"

Galbatroix took the satchel after inspecting it for trap spells. He opened it and gasped, because inside were three eggs green, red, and, blue. "How I destroyed all the eggs in Vroengard and Illirea…"

"When you attacked Vroengard I snuck away from the city and I have been hiding in the wild ever since… I came to you because I was being hunted by a wild dragon… The dragon is dead because I led it to Morzan's fortress…Brael was out hunting and spotted the wild dragon… I watched them fight to the death and when the coast was clear I decided to come and pledge myself to you…"

"Come with me…"

Galbatroix snuck him into his palace and hid the eggs in his private treasury where he kept the swords of dead riders. Then he took Graywin and placed him in a private room. He placed wards and spells over the room so that no one could scry him or enter the room without his permission.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10. Banishing Of The Names

All the remaining eggs of the wild dragons had hatched and now the hatchlings were old enough to fight. The wild dragons gathered together one last time. Many of them were angry and wanted to attack the oath breakers and go to war, but Shymdee was queen of the dragons and none of the dragons were interested in challenging her, enough dragon blood had been spilled.

Shymdee roared to silence them all. _("We will make war against the oath breakers, but first the dragons of the foresworn must be dealt with…") _How, one of the older dragons asked. _("We will curse the traitors… We will strip them of their names... They will no longer be dragons… They will be nothing, more than animals…"_

The dragons gathered around Shymdee in a circle of living color. _("Focus your minds on me… Let my will become yours…") _The voice of her mind echoed in their heads as a gust of wind blew. _("I now call on the dragons of the past present and future… I call on you to lend us your power and strength… We have been betrayed by our own kind… and their riders… Aid us in this curse we lay on the forsworn dragons…"_ The wild dragons began to glow and Shymdee stretched her wings and roared into the air as she continued to say in the ancient language. _("By your power… I now strip the foresworn dragons of their names and nicknames… Never again shall their names be spoken in the ancient language… or the tongues of Elves, Dwarves, humans, Urgals, or the Razac... Never again shall their names be written in books or scripts… We erase their names from history… Let no man human or otherwise be able to give them new names… We strip their names in the ancient language… Brael… Tiar… Saphron… Ora… Shadow… Jasmon… Cavar… Halo… Amron…Mandegor... Blodhar… We strip you of your names and we banish them for all time… No longer shall you be dragons as we are… We strip your names…"_

Shymdee's voice echoed across Alagaesia and a wave of power expanded from the circle of dragons. The names of the dragons vanished from script, paper, and scrolls throughout all the land. Islanzadi was teaching her daughter Arya the finer points of gramayre when she felt the power of the curse touch Ellesmera.

_"Mother… What is wrong…" _Arya asked tugging her mother's gown. She was seven years old.

Islanzadi looked down at the girl and smiled, _"Nothing my daughter I shall tell you when you are older…"_

("Morzan!")

Brael's voice screamed in his head. Morzan was in his room in the west wing of his fortress when Brael called him. He jumped out of bed grabbing Zarroc and ran towards the dragon hold that was on the same level as his thrown room. The fortress was still under construction, but the west wing was finished. He burst into the dragon hold.

("What is wrong?") He asked touching Brael's mind.

The dragon looked at him struggling to form a thought. ("My… name…") He said slowly, ("What is my name…")

Morzan searched the hold with his mind because he thought that Brom had snuck into his fortress, he found nothing, ("Your name… Is this a joke?") Brael roared to show him he was serious. ("Okay your name is…") He stumbled the words out of his mind. ("Brae…")

Confused he spoke aloud, "Your name is Bra…" Every time Morzan pronounced a syllable, he lost a letter. "I knew your name a minute ago…" He said looking at his dragon. "Your name is…" Again it slipped from his mind and mouth.

("Me… am scared… My… name… is gone…")

Morzan touched his mind and what he found scared him. Some unseen force was stripping everything that made his dragon a unique being and his bond partner was being torn away. He poured as much of his mind into the red Dragon as he could in attempt to preserve his quickly failing mind. "I name you…" The name he had in mind slipped from his tongue as well.

Morzan saddled his dragon and flew to Urubaen as he flew he ran into Foromir and Kialandi. There dragons were in the same condition loosing their minds and intelligence. It was Foromir who informed Morzan that he checked his journal and his dragon's name had been erased. All the members of the forsworn gathered in the thrown room yelling back and forth at each other.

"SILENCE…" Galbatorix yelled. He pointed at Morzan, "Morzan what has happened…"

He was pacing back and forth, "My dragon…"

"Our dragons…" Kialandi said interrupting Morzan.

He looked at her, "Something has happened to our dragons…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Try saying my dragon's name…" Kialandi barked.

He looked at Morzan who nodded, "Your dragon's name is…" The name was in his head, but it slipped from Galbatorix's mind. "What is this?"

"Come with us…"

Galbatorix accompanied Morzan and the forsworn to the dragon hold where the dragons clustered in a corner in fear of Shruiken who was eating on the carcass of a pig. Galbatorix scanned their minds and found emptiness not an intellectual being like Shruiken. They were just animals.

Shruiken started laughing at them, "What is so funny?" Morzan asked looking at the black dragon.

He addressed them all out loud. ("Your dragons are cursed… You will never be able to speak their names nor will you be able to give them new names… The wild dragons have cursed them…")

"You seem fine…" Foromir said.

("I did not chose this madness… It was forced on me… So the wild dragons spared me…")

They all bombarded Galbatorix with demands that he help them fix the problem and that is when Gaerravar arrived with his rider Orwin.

"What is going on…" He asked jumping off Gaerravar's back. Gaerravar looked at the other dragons and he asked Shruiken what was wrong.

"How is Gaerravar…" When Kialandi said the green dragon's name they all looked at each other.

"He is fine… What is happening…"

Galbatorix explained the situation, but Gaerravar touched their minds and said; ("They got what they disserved…") Morzan roared drawing Zarroc and charged the dragon, but Orwin clipped his legs and knelt in his chest. His dragon tried to come to his rescue, but Gaerravar touched the red dragon's mind and stopped him from moving.

"Get off me…" Morzan barked.

"You need to calm down…"

"Enough!" Galbatorix yelled as he grabbed Orwin and threw him to the ground.

"Control your dragon…" Morzan barked as Galbatorix held him back.

("Control yourself…") Shruiken said as he and Gaerravar taunted the primitive minds of the other dragons. Galbatorix pointed a finger at Shruiken. ("Shruiken be silent…")

"We can't let the wild dragons get away with cursing our dragons… I mean we are going to kill them right…" Kialandi said.

"Yeah… Lets kill every last one of them…" Torren said. One by one the forsworn added their sentiments to the suggested path.

("Haven't we spilled enough blood…") Gaerravar said.

("I agree with Gaerravar…") Shruiken said. ("What will you gain by killing the wild dragons… You would get farther by trying to remove the curse…")

Morzan stepped forward, "We know your tricks Shruiken… and I see through your words… You are hoping the wild dragons gain strength to oppose or give eggs to the elves and we fight a never ending war… No Galbatorix as your friend and first member of the forsworn I ask that you help us avenge ourselves on the wild dragons…"

Galbatorix was about to speak when Durza entered the hold, "I know about the curse…" He said, "The banishing of the names… I have been studying the curse for the past five days… This isn't something that can be fixed… The power of the wild dragons is greater than any magic we wield…"

"What about the spells of power…" Durnom asked. "That should give us the strength we need to overcome this curse…"

Durza shook his head, "The spells of power grant you the strength and power of the foes you face… These spells are useless against spells already cast…"

Galbatorix looked at Shruiken and Gaerravar, "I order the two of you to help train the other dragons… We will wage one last battle against the wild dragons…" Galbatorix invoked Shruiken's name in the ancient language, the one he made up for the dragon. Then he forced Orwin to invoke Gaerravar's name as well. Over the next month Shruiken and Gaerravar labored to teach the dumb brutes, because that is what the two dragons called the forsworn dragons; how to fight a dragon more intelligent and smarter than them. The forsworn dragons responded better to commands given to them in the ancient language. Short commands like up down back forward side to side and such.

During their training Shruiken took pleasure in tormenting the poor beasts and only stopped when Gaerravar intervened. ("Why do you take pleasure in tormenting these creatures… Despite the curse they are still dragons…")

Shruiken snorted, ("You know why…") the black dragon looked away ashamed to face his friend. Gaerravar felt compassion for the younger dragon, but he felt a bitter cold rising in Shruiken. ("I am lost… I tried to do as you taught me… but it is a loosing battle… Galbatorix is a mad man… He lacks compassion morality… There is nothing he won't do to gain greater power… I feel Jornunvosk inside him, I feel my rider, and I feel the dragon Lersa trapped within her eldunari… bonded to Galbatorix and trapped within him… No matter what I do I can't stop the voices… A part of me hates Galbatorix, but he is in me as well… And the only sanity I find is the one where I embrace his evil doings…")

Gaerravar got close to Shruiken who now lay on the ground covering himself with his wings. He gently touched the dragon with his mind and breathed his hot breath on him, then he addressed him in the ancient language. _("You are not lost… You are Shruiken the black dragon of Urubaen and though you bare Galbatorix… You will bare him to his doom… and finally you will be free… No dragon or Rider past or future will ever think ill of you great one…")_

Shruiken uncovered his face with his wings and stood up. He looked at Gaerravar and the two of them bumped heads. ("Thank you… I have a secret to tell you… Galbatorix has three eggs in his possession… They are blue, red, and green…")

("We must find a way to use this to our advantage…")

When the training was completed, Galbatorix and the forsworn gathered in the courtyard. Shruiken was wearing silver and gold armor. All fourteen dragons leapt into the air following Shruiken and Gaerravar in the air. It took five days to reach the edge of Du Weldenvarden and as they approached the wild dragons young and old flew out to fight them. Shruiken and Gaerravar taught the other dragons of the forsworn how to go for the easy kill. They also taught their riders how to use their primal instincts to their advantage. Pure rage and bloodlust drove them to attack the wild dragons without fear. The Riders had to divide their attention between three things, protecting the minds of their dragons, giving them instructions, and fighting. Durza and the Lethberka had accompanied them into battle.

Kialandi ordered her dragon to climb high in the sky then she raised her hands and unleashed several spirits on the wild dragons. Five dragons died and fell out of the sky. Morzan leapt off his dragon onto the back of another and stabbed it cutting its spine. He flew into the air commanding his dragon to catch him. The forsworn used the burning curse, Galbatorix's new death touch, Morzan's vice grip, and the crystal daggers to even the odds. As the hours dragged on and on it became clear who would win the battle. It was night and the stars dominated the sky and the dead bodies of a thousand dragons littered the ground from the edge of the hadarac desert to Lake Isentar.

Galbatorix stood over Shymdee's body she was one of the last dragons to die. He raised his sword Avaless and roared into the air. They returned to Urubaen with an empty victory, because their dragons were still cursed. Galbatorix, Morzan, Orwin, Foromir, and Durza labored to study the curse of the banishing of the names with no success. Over the next few months the forsworn became jealous of Orwin because his dragon Gaerravar had been spared. They became cruel and mean towards each other and melancholy.

Foromir began abusing Kialandi mentally and physically. One night he forced himself on her. She didn't take it lying down she responded by poisoning his food and haunting him with the spirits she would summon. After one bad beating she took from him, Kialandi cursed his manhood and he disfigured her body with magic. As he slept Kialandi took three crystal daggers and stabbed him with them one right after the other. Then she poisoned his dragon and left for Urubaen. Galbatorix was furious with her because Foromir almost died. It took eight long months of meditation to recover and Durza had to heal the dragon. When Foromir was healed he traveled to Urubaen and restored Kialandi's beauty, then she restored his manhood and they returned to their fortress. They still fought each other every now and then but it was less brutal.

Terron and Bella's relationship wasn't as violent as Foromir and Kialandi's was, but it was as sick. They argued a lot and what kept it from getting out of hand was Hedron although he often sided with his sister more than Terron, but eventually he grew tired of them both and moved to a suit in Urubaen. The suit he took once belonged to the elder Sefran. Morzan took up drinking heavily and abusing women. He would take advantage of young maidens have his way with them and leave them. Once he got so angry that he killed a Razac. The remaining Lethberka and Razac sought revenge and when Galbatorix intervened there were only two Razac left a male and female both of whom were preparing to shed their exoskeletons and become Lethberka. It would be many years before the female was ready to mate. The rest of the Forsworn grew just as cold, leaving behind all morality. No longer could they share thoughts and feelings with their dragons as equals. The dragons understood them, but they could not respond or offer advice. They had become dumb brutish animals. Galbatorix tried to help, but he failed and the only thing he could do was turn his attention to the three eggs he had and secretly Galbatorix planned to seek out potential candidates for his eggs.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11. The Varden

It was raining, the sky flashed with lightening and rumbled with the sound of thunder. The road to Gilead was a wet and muddy, but Brom was determined to reach the city before sunset. His companion a man named Weldon had wanted to stop in the nearby town of Laeth until the rain stopped, but Brom would not listen.

They both wore leather ponchos and kept the hoods down obscuring their faces. "When we reach Gilead let me do all the talking…"

Weldon grunted, "And what if you are recognized or worse what if Morzan is waiting for you…"

Brom smiled under his hood, "Morzan has gone south… My friends let it slip that I was in Feinster… A spellcaster used magic to make a soldier look like me…" He looked at Weldon. "I don't want Morzan to be disappointed when he arrives…"

Weldon shook his head in disapproval, "You have a mean streak…"

Brom laughed, "Only when it comes to the forsworn…"

"Halt…" A burly soldier barked as they approached the main gates. "Show me your faces… and state your business in Gilead…"

The two riders pulled down their hoods at the same time. Weldon had a fare completion dirty brown hair and possessed the build of a wrestle. Brom had used magic to darken his skin, he wore a patch over his left eye and he had a white beard, his head was bald.

"We are curriers for Earl of Dunghar to the Lord Marshall of Gilead… It is a private matter…"

"And I am the King of Du Weldenvarden… Your minds must be probed for deception…" He looked off to the right, "Werson!"

A young man probably in his teens exited the guard shack and looked at the men on horses, "If you resist me I will hurt you…" The boy said mischievously. He entered Weldon's mind first, but Brom took control of the boy through Weldon. After a few seconds Brom spoke through the young man. "They speak the truth… Let them pass…"

They entered the city and after twelve blocks turned right, they came to a large stone house. Brom and Weldon tethered their horses and rung the door pull. "How long can you control that boy…"

Brom grunted, "Long enough… When his watch is over he will seek me out… I can use him to get into the prison…"

The door opened and a middle-aged man poked his head out into the pouring rain. "Yes…" He asked unkindly.

Brom leaned in, "The Varden…" He whispered.

The man's eyes almost shot out of his head, "Brom is that you…"

"Yes but call me Asard…"

"Get in here you lout…"

"This is Weldon…"

They shook hands, "I thought I would never see you again…"

"Is there somewhere we can talk…"

'Yes follow me…" The man lead them to a private study, "We can talk freely no one can listen or scry us in here…"

"Macen here fought with us on the burning plains…"

"Its nice to meet you…" Weldon said.

"There was an ugly rumor going around that you were dead…" Macen said.

Brom smiled, "Not yet… How are things for you…"

"Pretending to be a butler is boring… Controlling the mind of a fat pompous noble is fun…" His face saddened, "I have some bad news… Hesolant the Monk has been executed… He and Talken along with several others were killed at sunrise this morning."

"Dam…" Brom said. "Then I am too late…"

Macen poured them all some brandy. "It gets worse because Durza and Durnom are here…"

Brom sighed, "Durnom I am not worried about, but Durza is another problem…" Brom took a drink. "What is the condition of the rest of the prisoners…"

Macen downed his drink and poured another, "They are to be taken to Dras Leona and sold as slaves…"

'What…" Weldon yelled jumping up. "Slavery was outlawed…"

"Under Galbatorix it was put into law… Any person or persons unable to pay their taxes is reduced to an immediate state of slavery…" Brom downed the rest of his drink and offered his glass for seconds. When his goblet was full again he stood up and started pacing.

"I think we should wait…" Weldon said. "If we try to bust those people out of prison we could die in the attempt… A better plan would be to ambush them on the road…"

Brom looked at Weldon then he looked at Macen. "No the people need to see that Galbatorix is not invincible… We will break them from the prison and get away with it, but first… Macen I need a message sent to Dornum by your employer… Then you will be leaving Gilead with Weldon…"

Weldon looked concerned, "What about you…"

"Me… I will face Durza…"

"He will kill you…"

"No I have a plan… but for it to work I must distract Durza while the two of you head south to Surda… Remember what I taught you Weldon travel at night rest during the day when you reach the forest near Lake Tudeston be careful Orwin has a fortress there… Take a wide birth away from the forest…"

"What about water for over two hundred people…" Macen asked.

It was Weldon who answered, "We have an agreement with the desert tribe Inapashunna they will escort us through the desert all the way to Surda…"

"When do we strike…" Macen asked.

"Tomorrow night… In the meantime the two of you stay here I have business else where in the city…"

The other two men stood up, "I am really going to miss the rich life…" Macen said.

Brom left the house in another disguise. This time he was dressed like a visiting Nobleman. He made his way to the other side of town with the boy Werson who he had complete control of. Brom met with his other friends and spies and told them what he needed them to do in order to fulfill his plans. He returned to Macen's mansion an hour before sunrise. He bathed, ate, and rested until sunset. The time had come to strike, he restored his face with magic, while Weldon Macen, the mind controlled Werson and several mind controlled soldiers got ready to take Brom to the prison. Macen and Weldon were disguised as soldiers. Durnom had left the city on his dragon that morning. Durza was in his study still trying to find a way to circumvent the curse placed on the forsworn dragons. A knock came to the door he cursed and opened the door.

The soldier saluted, "My lord… Brom has been captured entering the city…"

"What?" Durza asked in disbelief. Durza followed the guard to the thrown room of the palace where fifty men had Brom on his knees and shackled. "Brom… What was that name they called you… Oh yes Knocker… Brom Knocker…"

Brom smiled, "For a Shade you are very stupid…" The shackles fell off his wrists and feet and the soldiers guarding him rushed Durza drawing their swords.

Several fires broke out in the city as Weldon and Macen made their way to the prison. "Listen to me free men of Alagaesia… I am Weldon… I fight beside Brom who was a Rider… His dragon was killed, but he still fights Galbatorix and the forsworn join us and become members of the Varden…" The people in the prison cheered as they were freed from the prison, some of them were warriors, while others were archers. The rest were just nobles whose wealth was taken from them. They armed all those who could fight and ran from the prison towards the wall. A large portion of the wall blew apart and the men, women, and children ran through it heading southeast towards the river.

Bodies hit the floor as Durza swung his sword trying to hold back his men as they tried to kill him. Brom stood back using all his mental power to keep the guards under his control. His concentration faltered when a boom shook the door to the thrown room. He sensed the men on the other side using a battering ram trying to open them, but the doors were sealed by magic.

("Time to go…") Brom said to himself.

_"Garjla!" _Durza screamed in the ancient language. All the soldiers burst into flames and hit the floor bellowing in pain. Brom knocked an arrow and shot it at Durza who dove to the side, but the arrow was guided by magic and caught him in the neck. Brom dove forward with his sword in a stabbing motion. He aimed for Durza's heart, but he caught him in the gut. Durza smiled as his body became transparent and the spirits zipped around the room and left.

When the soldiers burst into the room they found one man had survived, he was badly burned so they took him to the city healer who was a spy for Brom. The soldier winked at the healer who snuck him out, the soldier was Brom in disguise.

Morzan arrived in Gilead three days later, by then Durza had regained a flesh and blood body. Parts of the city was burned badly from the fires. "Brom made a mess didn't he…"

"You are too blame.." Durza said, "You should have killed him when you had the chance…"

"Yes I should have I intend to make hunting him my number one concern now…" When Galbatorix heard the news he was furious and threatened Morzan with death if Brom wasn't found quickly. While Morzan searched the lands for Brom Galbatorix did his best to keep what happened in Gilead a secret.

The endless green of Du Weldenvarden would cost any human his life, mind, or heart. One could get lost in the never ending sea of trees, but not Brom. He had been a rider and traveled the hidden paths of the great forest once before. Brom traveled on foot because a horse would be too much trouble and hiding his own foot prints was easier. When he left Gilead Brom swam across Lake Isentar to reach the forest. When he reached the forest he could sense Morzan's presence. A week later Brom was in the deepest part of the great forest making his way to Ellesmera. He stopped by a pond and scryed Weldon.

"Is everyone safe…"

"Safe my friend thanks to you…" He looked off to his left then returned his attention to Brom. "Chief Shuzaa sends his regards…"

"My regards to him and thanks… When you reach Surda King Larkin will house those people and feed them… Make sure they are well trained when I return to Surda…"

"They will be… where are you anyway…"

"On my way to Ellesmera the capital of the elves… From there I will travel to Tronjheim… I will be gone for many months…"

"I will keep things going for you while you are away…"

Brom smiled and released the magic, he had not told Weldon but he was grooming him to be leader of the Varden after it was up and running. Two days later a golden dragon was flying overhead, it was Glaedr who swooped down and flew Brom the rest of the way. He flew him to the crags of Talneir where Oromis was waiting. Brom jumped down to the elf and they hugged.

_"It is good to see you again master…"_

_"It is good to see you as well… It has been far too long…"_

_("You take too many risks young Brom…")_ Glaedr said.

_"Worthwhile risks master…"_

All three sat in front of Oromis' hut, _"And what brings you to Ellesmera?" _Oromis asked.

Brom smiled drinking some water from a cup Oromis gave him, _"Two things… First I am putting together a rebellion called the Varden… They will fight a war of resistance against Galbatorix… I came to ask Queen Islanzadi if she would support this group with weapons and supplies of food…"_

Glaedr grumbled, _("Why not Surda…")_

He looked at the gold dragon and said out loud; _"The Surdans already support the Varden, but in secret… I don't want them waging open war with Galbatorix yet…"_

Oromis nodded in approval, _"And the second reason…"_

_"I was hoping Rheunon Elda would forge me a new rider's sword…"_

Oromis smiled, _"I can help you with the first as the queen already knows you have entered Ellesmera… as for the second… You will see when you speak with Rheunon…" _Oromis stood up and took Brom to a tree house where he could rest in private. The next day Oromis and Glaedr accompanied Brom to see Rheunon. She sat in her smithy forging a blade for a young elf maiden who was sitting nearby with a werecat in her lap. Oromis introduced Brom to the young woman who was twenty years old. Her name was Arya and she was the daughter of Queen Islanzadi.

_"Well this is a surprise… A rider and his dragon… and you brought the infamous Brom… What troubles have you been causing the forsworn these days…"_

_"Much… Rheunon Elda I came to ask in all humility if you would make me a new sword…"_

The elf was in the middle of pounding a glowing cherry red piece of metal into a sword she was making for Arya. She sighed and threw down the hammer and turned her red-rimmed eyes on Brom. She addressed him in the common tongue. "All my life from the inception of the riders I have made swords for the order… And in one moment it was all lost by that oath breaker and his accursed forsworn…" She spit on the ground which caused Arya to flinch. "I swore in the ancient language that I would never make a blade again in my life and it is a vow I intend to keep…"

Brom began to beg and plead with her, _"There are ways around such an oath as all who speak the ancient language know… Please I beg you… I lost my sword on the burning plains… If you make me a blade it would be used to kill the forsworn…" _Brom's pleas became more eloquent, but no matter what he said Rhuenon refused. It got to the point where Glaedr roared and when he ignored that Oromis hit him over the head and carried him away before he embarrassed himself further.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard…" Brom said addressing him in the common tongue to show him how angry he was.

Oromis smiled, _"That was a tap… If I had used more strength then you would be dead… May I suggest that if it is a new sword you wish then get one from the dwarves… Their blades are just as strong as ours though they dull a lot slower than a human forged blade…"_

Brom's mood changed, "I will remember that…" Brom sat up switching to the ancient language. _"When do I see the queen…"_

_"Tomorrow morning at first light…"_

Oromis and Brom ate dinner together and an hour before sunrise they went up to the palace. Glaedr stayed behind as not to draw a crowd by his presence. Still Oromis drew attention to them both even without Glaedr's presence or his sword Naegling.

Islanzadi sat on her thrown with the twenty-four elf lords and ladies, twelve on the right and twelve on the left. On her scepter rested a white raven. Brom greeted Islanzadi in the tradition of the elves, but before he could make his request she stopped him.

_"Before you speak Brom Elda… I wish to correct a wrong… My love was angry with you the last time you graced this hall… You rescued Glaedr from the Lethberka and you saved Osthato Chetowa from death at the hands of the forsworn… Many people elf kind or not owe you a debt… So I call you elf friend to me and my people…"_ An elf rushed forward bearing a ring in a purple satin pillar. _"…I present to you the Aren, that all elves may know you are a friend and should be trusted and helped… Aren can hold a vast amount of energy I have already filled myself and it will aid you in your most desperate hour…"_

He bowed, _"Thank you your majesty…" _Just then the Raven flew out of the hall.

Arya skipped court today as she was feeling down about her father Evander. She was just seven years old when her mother returned to Ellesmera with her father's remains. She wept for several days refusing food and drink. Arya wound her way through Ellesmera until she came to the Menoa tree.

"Wryda!" She looked up to see Blagden perched on a branch just above her head.

_"And what mischief are you up to…"_

The bird coughed in his throat, "Nevermore hearth and home to stay the heart…" The bird coughed again, "Bound you may be but stay thee nay…" The raven coughed again and flew off.

Arya new what he meant but this was her home, _"He is right you know…"_ The voice belonged to a werecat named Maud. _"Your heart is not here…"_

_"I cannot leave my home… my mother…"_

Maud hunched her shoulders, _"Stay, go_… _You are wise beyond your years… Your father and I knew him well would be proud of you… Your destiny is a long time in coming… but in order to be ready for it… You must be stronger than any who has come before you… you will find that strength but not here in Ellesmera…" _Maud became a cat and dashed off to hunt.

Brom's meeting with the queen went well she had agreed to help the Varden with supplies. Brom was preparing to leave for Tronjheim when a knock came to his door. It was Arya, _"May I speak with you…" _She asked after they observed the elven customs of courtesy.

_"Yes please come in and take a seat…"_

_"No I won't take up your time… Will you hold off on your journey I need to speak with my mother…"_

_"Why…"_

_"I know about the rebellion you are putting together… and I think you need an emissary to travel with you in order to represent the elves and show the people of Alaegasia that the elves are with them as well…"_

Brom curled his lip and nodded his head, _"Very well then_ I can wait _at least one more day, but hurry I wish to be on the road again by high noon the day after tomorrow…"_

_"No!" _Islanzadi screamed when Arya told her mother what she was planning to do. _"I lost your father… I do not wish to loose you as well…"_ Arya pleaded with her mother, but she would not listen, so Arya turned to logic. Her words fell on def ears.

_"The choice is mine and my mind is set…"_

Islanzadi narrowed her eyes and said in the common tongue, "If you do this consider yourself my daughter no longer…"

Arya raised her head and left, Lord Dathedor placed a gentle hand on Islanzadi's shoulders to comfort her. That very day Arya received the yawe tattoo on her shoulder. The elves Faolin and Glenwig accompanied her and Brom out of the city.

_"Master Brom… What is the purpose of the Varden… Why not just fight Galbatorix from Surda…" _Faolin asked as he steered their canoe from the rear. Brom was in front of him and Arya sat beside Brom. The elf Glenwig sat at the head of the canoe keeping an eye out for the forsworn. They sailed down the Elda River.

_"It is all about strategy Faolin-Vodhr… At present Surda is too weak to fight Galbatorix… _ _Despite this there are humans who wish to openly oppose Galbatorix… the Varden will give them a chance to do so…"_

_"You are very wise Brom-Elda…"_

_"We will camp here tonight…" _Arya said.

Brom was keeping first watch when Arya approached him, "Brom… There are some things I wish to speak with you about…"

"Of course…" He said keeping his eyes on the horizon looking for the sign of any dragons.

"I ask that you swear never to reveal to anyone about my being the daughter of the queen…"

Brom smiled, "I had no intention of doing so…" he switched to the ancient language. _"But I vow to never reveal who you are except with your permission…" _When he saw she was satisfied, he changed the conversation. "I cry your pardon if I offend you, but you should try to fix things with your mother…" She raised an eyebrow, "…I speak from experience… and see things from your mother's point of view… She lost her mate and love your father to Galbatorix… Now you leave to be an emissary on behalf of your people… Your adventures could lead to your death… She cannot bare to loose her only family…"

Arya had no reply though she thought long and hard on what Brom said. She returned to her tent and fell asleep, until her watch. At sunrise the next day they broke camp, loaded, the boat, and sailed down river. By noonday they had come to Hedarth the Dwarves trading outpost with the elves. Smoke arose from the riverside town. The four companions entered the city with their weapons drawn. A few dwarves lay dead in the streets. Brom picked up a burned board and examined it while Arya entered a charred building.

"These burns are recent…" Brom declared.

"DRAGON!" Faolin screamed.

Arya remained hidden in the building while Brom, Faolin, and Glenwig hid under a wagon. A jade dragon flew overhead and was joined by a black dragon and together they flew towards the desert angling towards the mountains.

"Durnom and Elwoth…" Brom whispered.

"We should have killed them…" Faolin said.

Brom looked at the elf, "If they are here then the rest of the forsworn is here as well… and Galbatorix is with them…"

"We must be careful from now on…" Arya said.

"No we will wait here until they leave…"

They waited for three days before continuing on, it took a week to reach the city of Tarnac. The city was in the same condition partially burned and abandoned. Eight heavily armed Dwarves appeared from out of no where, they all could use magic.

"Drop your weapons… You are surrounded…"

They obeyed, but Brom sensing the dwarves could use magic addressed them in the ancient language. _"We are friends… I am Brom and these are Arya, Faolin, and Glenwig of Ellesmera… We wish to speak with thy King Hrothgar of the Dugrimst Ingeitum…"_

The lead dwarf removed his wolf shaped helm and smiled, _"Welcome Brom… I am Bruhall the Mighty… We knew of your coming from a message we received from Farrius... Come."_

"What happened…" Arya asked as they traveled across land to the Beors. Bruhall explained how the forsworn flew through the valleys burning their above ground cities and how the clan of Ahunin sacrificed themselves fighting to defend the northern valley.

"The entire clan was nearly wiped out… all that remain is Ahunin's guard…"

'How sad…" Faolin said. "The dragons should have cursed the forsworn riders as well…"

"I thank thee for thy sympathies… Master Faolin, but more is to be said… A fourth night ago Ahunin passed into the void over grief of her clan…"

Eventually they arrived in Tronjheim, the great mountain city was bustling with activity as the entire dwarvin nation was held up in the underground city. Brom and his companions were allowed to rest before they met with King Hrothgar.

"Hail Brom…" Hrothgar said after they greeted him as the king he was. "And welcome to you elves…"

"Thank you great king…" Arya said, "And greetings from my queen… Queen Islanzadi…"

"My lord… The elves have agreed to a secret alliance… They have agreed to support a rebellion I am forging called the Varden… King Larkin is supporting us as well… I ask in all humility that you grant sanctuary to my people… The Varden will fight, but we need a place to hide and strike from…"

Hrothgar stood up, "Walk with me…" He led the four out of the throne room through the vast tunnels and archways of the city. "As you saw while traveling… The forsworn have struck a deadly blow… Az Swell Rak Ahunin as they call themselves now have suffered many losses, I am sympathetic to your cause, but I must keep the clan lords in the loop concerning this and you and your Varden must prove themselves in battle to my people…"

Before Brom could respond, Arya spoke up. "We all have stake in this… especially elves and humans… My people are willing to support the Varden… but what will be said of the elder race if your people sat idly by while the fate of Alagaesia is decided…"

Hrothgar smiled, "Islanzadi chose well when sent you Arya to speak for her people… There is no water in the blood dwarves you have my word…" He looked at Brom. "The Varden may stay in Tronjheim, but be careful… My actions may anger a few clans…"

"Do you fear a civil war…"

"It could happen…"

"What if we elves and the Varden vow to fight beside the Dugrimst Ingeitum against any clan or dwarf who speaks out against the alliance…"

Hrothgar stopped walking, "Now that would give me great power… Alright go I will deal with the clans…" The next day Brom, Arya, Faolin, and Glenwig left Tronjheim with three dwarves who would represent the Dwarves in Surda.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12. Surda

The sun blasted the southern plains with great intensity and the scorched lands of the burning planes made the heat worse. The people of Surda dealt with the stifling heat very well, but Weldon found it unbearable. He had been summoned to King Larkin's thrown room in Borromeo castle. When he entered the thrown room the captain of the guard was there along with the king's chief spellcaster.

"Your highness…" He said bowing. "You wished to see me…"

Larkin was a tall man and first cousin to King Abernost as Aberon had once been apart of the Brodderring kingdom. "Yes has there been any word from Brom…"

He shook his head, "Not since I spoke with him through scrying… He was in Du Weldunvarden…"

Larkin the Second as he was called being just eighteen years old had just come into his power. His father King Larkin the First died on the burning plains killed by Durza. He sighed, "The forsworn were spotted flying out of the Beors… Then my scouts reported a large force heading to the forest by Lake Tudeston…"

"The Rider Orwin has a fortress there… They may be just reinforcements… to secure the boarder…" Weldon answered.

"Maybe we should strike first…" The Captain said.

Weldon shook his head, "Brom drilled into my head not to do anything until he returns… Besides the forsworn aren't a threat to us at the moment…"

"How do you know…" Larkin barked.

"I am not at liberty to speak of this…" They argued, but Weldon was able to appease both concerning troop movement in the north.

Weldon left the king's thrown room feeling more drained than ever. He wished Brom would return soon as he had been left in charge. He could handle things because Brom had trained him in politics, guarding his mind, and swordsmanship, but Weldon was young and he wanted to start a family. He had broken off his engagement to help Brom, because Brom had helped his family escape Urubaen when it was taken over.

Weldon made his way to the training fields given to them by

King Larkin. When he arrived at the fields Almen commander of the Varden's military forces and head of the council of elders greeted him. "The council wants to meet at sunset… Many Surdans wish to fight for the Varden…"

Weldon cut him off finishing his sentence, "And they are concerned about King Larkin's subjects joining us despite the fact that they have pledged an oath to another…"

The two men were walking behind the archers as they shot at padded dummies. "It's a sticky situation… The King may claim he has an interest in the Varden since he not only supports us and his subjects make up a portion of our fighting force…"

"I will have dinner with them in the east wing ballroom…" He wiped sweat from his brow, "Is there anything else…"

"Spellcasters… Thorsan is forming a group he calls the Du Vrang Gata…"

Weldon sighed, ("Great more politics…") He thought to himself, "Do the elders know of this…"

"No but you know who will make an issue of it…"

"I want to see all the spellcasters immediately… have them meet me in the garden and keep it quiet…"

Almen saluted and ran off, Weldon took a few minutes to practice his archery then he went took a cool bath before meeting with Thorsan. He met Thorsan and nine other spellcasters in the garden. Weldon convinced them to hold off in forming their group until Brom returned. After meeting with the spellcasters Weldon went to his suit to write some letters and then he got ready for dinner to meet with the council of elders.

Alman was there wearing a forest green tunic with gold trimming and his sword belted at his side. The remaining members of the council were Gamiss, Lorn, Melista, Dalom, and Iris. They dined on venison, corn, greens, fish, pheasant, potatoes, sour dough bread, glazed apples. They drank wine in great amounts and it was Weldon who started the meeting.

"I don't think the issue of loyalty is the problem whoever fights for us fights for the good of all Alagaesia… I think it will be a great distraction to all we fight for if we allow a small thing to come between us…"

Iris with her rich elegant voice answered him first, "As you say Lord Weldon, but consider Surda is a newly formed country… When and if we ever defeat Galbatorix and his forsworn how will his empire be handled… Will the house of Larkin demand the thrown of Urubaen…"

"I agree with Iris…" Lorn said speaking up, "…the Broddering kingdom makes up over sixty percent of the empire… we have northerners fighting for us and people of Surda… Larkin is well within his rights to claim the thrown of Urubaen…"

Weldon sighed, "Brom started this rebellion so that Surda and all people who oppose Galbatorix can fight… We are allies and friends… When the time comes Alagaesia will be ruled by the rightful people…"

Weldon convinced them and it was Melista who changed the subject, "As it stands we have an army of eight thousand… but how are we going to feed our warriors… King Larkin can't support us forever…"

"That is why Brom went to the Elves…"

"Have you heard from Brom…" Dalom asked.

Welmon shook his head no as he stood, "If there is nothing else to address I would like to retire for the evening…"

Weldon changed his attire and went strait to bed. It was an hour before sunrise when one of the castle servants knocked on his door. "Forgive me for disturbing you sir, but Brom approaches Borromeo castle…"

Weldon thanked the man and quickly got dressed. Farrius rode out with King Larkin and the captain of the guard. Brom was with three elves and two dwarves. After introductions were made they rode back to Borromeo castle.

"Welcome to Aberon Lady Arya… Lord Faolin, and Glenwig… Welcome to you as well Lord Phalbom and Graudern…" It was Brom who explained why they were there and that King Hrothgar granted sanctuary to the Varden.

"From Tronjheim we can strike at the empire in secret…"

"You have done well Brom… Will you all come and dine with me to honor this new alliance…"

Weldon and Brom met together in private in the library. "Thorsen wants to unite the spellcasters under one banner… The Du Vrang Gata…"

After Weldon explained the proposal Brom raised an eyebrow as he puffed on his pipe. "What do you think…"

Weldon ran a hand through his hair. "It will go a long way to convincing them to work together… The council might not like it… I say yes let them…"

"So be it… I will deal with the council…"

They ate and discussed a plan of action as they sat at the kings table. Brom was shocked to see the witch Angela at the King's table. During dinner Brom revealed that he was heading north to try and kill one of the forsworn and would return in three months. Everyone disagreed with his actions, but it was Arya who convinced them that if anyone could handle the forsworn it was Brom.

Two days later the Varden was ready to leave for Tronjheim deep within the Beor mountains. Brom saw them off then he took a horse and headed north.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13. The Witch And The Wizard

"Soon I will join lord Galbatorix…" His name was Casmuss and he was a powerful spellcaster. He journeyed the land battling and killing other spellcasters to prove his own power and steal their secrets. He was driving a carriage pulled by two brown horses, disguised as a peddler. Casmuss was on his way to Belatona after he had defeated and killed another spellcaster. King Xastell was one of the few monarchs Galbatorix trusted outside of the forsworn. Casmusss figured that if he could gain Xastell's favor by teaching him magic, then Xastell could introduce him to Galbatorix. He did things this way for two reasons, one he almost died at the hands of the legendary Brom. Two he wanted an ally to help him rise quickly in the ranks of Galbatorix's spellcasters.

When he arrived in Belatona, he went strait to the palace where he gained an audience with King Xastell. "Great king… I am Xastell a wizard and powerful mage… It has come to my attention that you wish to learn magic… I can teach you and in return you must do something for me…"

Xastell laughed, "I have a teacher in the arts of magic and the ancient language…"

"Yes, but is he as skilled and knowledgeable as me…"

Xastell snapped his fingers, when he did the room grew dark and cold then a man with one eye and three gashes on his face appeared before them.

"My chief spellcaster… Lar… The two of you will fight and then we shall who is the strongest…"

Lar drew a circle with words on the ground and a half moon in the center then he stood in the circle. Casmuss laughed, "This shouldn't take long…"

Lar said a word he made up in the ancient language and the circle on the floor glowed. _"I am Lar keeper of flame of Vata…"_

Casmuss just laughed, ("Pathetic…")

"_Now die… Jierda Dacath…" _When he said that two beams of light flew from his hands, but Casmuss blocked both shafts of light with his hands. At the same time they wrestled with their minds. Casmuss was toying with Lar as he clearly had power, but he lacked discipline in his art. Wherever Lar learned to use magic his teacher obviously skipped the rules of magic dueling, because Lar attacked first without engaging Casmuss with his mind. Lar ended his attack and pointed his hands at the torches on the walls. The fire leapt from the torches to his hands and he spewed fire at Casmuss who gathered the moister in the air into a stream of water that he doused the fire with. Casmuss sighed, it was obvious the man was dangerous, he had some skill but he was dangerous.

Casmuss overthrew his mind and took control of the man who cried out in terror. ("You are a fool…") Casmuss said to the man's mind. ("You have power, but no restraint…") In his mind Casmuss learned all his secrets and decided to kill him. Lar lay dead on the marble floor of the thrown room his body had been torn apart by his own spells.

"How did you do that…" Xastell asked.

"He was a novice… He was self taught… His father was a spellcaster who died before finishing his education… The form of power he was using is called elemental… He learned by experimenting with words of power… He was dangerous to himself and you… Help me gain an audience with Galbatorix and I will teach the secrets of the ancient language…"

Xastell smiled, "You will teach me first then I will help you neet Galbatorix…"

The next day Xastell's training began with Casmuss. He started with the alphabet and symbols of the ancient language. Then they moved on to complex phrases and spells. Xastell learned quickly and within a few short months he could cast spells manipulating fire, water, and air. He could create illusions and break into people's minds. He used magic to kill his wife and son because Galbatorix had made him immortal. ("I don't need an heir…") He said to himself.

After eight months of training and study Xastell could hold his own in a duel. "You are very skilled and the first person I have ever taught… There is no more you can learn from me… Now is the time for you to fulfill your promise…"

Xastell handed him a sealed letter, "This is a letter of introduction carry it well… If you desire I can send a few of my guards with you…"

"That won't be necessary…" Casmuss replied waving his hand.

"I offered because Brom has been spotted between here and Dras Leona…"

Casmuss hunched his shoulders, "I have fought Brom before… I do not fear him…"

Casmuss left the next morning heading northeast towards Urubaen. He stayed off the main roads to avoid Brom and his spies. The sun had set three days past since he left Belatona. Cassmus stopped by a pond to get fresh water when he spotted a cat in a tree. Normally he would ignore such an animal, but he recognized it as a werecat. The cat was asleep so he took out his blowpipe loaded an enchanted dart and blew. The dart hit its mark and the cat fell from the tree.

"_Letta!" _The werecat hovered seven feet from the ground. Casmuss took a collar and placed it on the werecat to keep it from transforming.

"A pet for King Galbatorix…" he said smiling.

That night when the drug of the dart where'd off the werecat awoke to find itself in a cage. It tried to transform but the collar on its neck suppressed its magical abilities.

"So you are awake…" Casmuss said cutting a piece of meat from the deer on the spit. "Are you hungry?"

The werecat hissed at him, ("Release me… now!")

Casmuss ignored the request, "I am sorry…" He threw the piece of meat into the cage. "…but I can't do that. You are a present for King Galbatorix…"

("I would kill myself before I served that oathbreaker…")

"There is no escape… so resign yourself to your current situation…" Casmuss fell asleep after eating his full. He saved the rest for later. The next morning he broke camp and continued on towards Urubaen. He tried to get the werecat to tell him his name, but the werecat refused to say a word. Four days after Casmuss captured the werecat he sniffed the air picking up a weird scent. Someone was tracking the wizard with exceptional skill.

"What's the matter… You smell something…" He asked unpacking his wagon.

Casmuss started a fire to boil some water. An hour later their was a rumbling sound like thunder and his fire turned green. There was an explosion of green smoke and when the air cleared a stout curly haired woman wearing green armor stood before Casmuss.

"You!"

The werecat watched as the female mage twirled a staff sword from side to side. She screamed leaping across the campfire attacking Casmuss both mentally and physically. Casmuss was barely able to unsheathe his sword as he blocked left then right. He spun around aiming for her ribs, but was blocked by the left blade. He received a cut on the right shoulder when the right blade came at him. She was everywhere at once with her double blade.

She kicked Casmuss in the chest and down on his back he went. The blond haired woman knocked his sword from his hand and raised her blade to finish him off, _"Thrysta Vodhr…" _With that short spell he sent her flying across the camp, but she twisted in the air and landed on her feat with a smile.

"_My turn…" _She said in the ancient language. From her pouch she took some yellow sand and threw it into the air. _"Zedoth L'in Mello…" _They were surrounded by a twinkling little stars that created illusions of the woman. Hundreds of doubles surrounded Casmuss, he sneered because if he attacked the wrong one he would die. He pointed his hand at the flames and became a living fire that shot into the air and flew off.

"_Run you coward one day I will kill you…" _The blonde haired woman yelled in the ancient language. The camp was in ruins, she waved her hands extinguishing the lights and illusions. _"Barzul!" _She said swearing in dwarvish. A lowly meow caught her attention and she looked down at a cat with a collar on its neck. "Well my stars… A werecat… You poor thing let me get you out of there…" When she touched the bars her hands burned, she removed a vile from her pouch and poured it on the bars making sure the cat wasn't touched. The bars melted and she used magic to remove the collar. The werecat hissed and turned to a shaggy young boy. She gave him a loin clothe.

"My name is Angela… If you are wondering…"

The werecat just looked at her for a few minutes, then reluctantly he responded in a whispered voice. "Solembum… My name is Solembum… and thank you… That evil man was going to take me to Galbatorix as a pet…"

Angela hunched her shoulders, "Well that wasn't your destiny…" She began searching Casmuss' wagon making sure the wagon wasn't booby trapped with spells. She took what she wanted then she piled the rest up, _"Brisinger…" _The wagon and all its contents burst into flames.

"May I accompany you…"

"Of course you…" From that moment on wherever Angela went Solombum followed.

Casmuss wailed into the air in frustration. He had killed Raven and he always knew the spellcaster had an apprentice. He was always of the opinion that his apprentice was weak which was why she as it was never sought him out. It had been years, but not only was she stronger than Raven she nearly killed him.

"That little witch…" He yelled to himself. Casmuss had lost everything. His carriage, spells, and scrolls. Even the werecat he had wanted to give to Galbatorix as a present. He tried to scry the woman who attacked him but all he saw was blackness. It took three days to reach Urubaen because Casmuss transmutted his body to fly. When he reached Urubaen he gained audience with Galbatorix and quickly grew in the ranks of his spellcasters.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14. First Victory

In order to inspire his followers, the Varden Brom planned to kill Foromir. Disguised as a royal courier he gained entrance into Foromir's fortress. Kialandi was on a mission for Galbatorix, so Brom snuck into the Fortress and poisoned Foromir's gold dragon. When Foromir entered the dragon hold, his dragon lay on its side moaning. All the doors shut close and Brom walked from behind the dying dragon

"You!" Foromir said incredulously drawing his sword.

"Yes Foromir… I owe you for what you did to Master Oromis…"

Foromir smiled, "I am going to wound you so that you die slowly then I am going to take you before Galbatorix…"

"If you survive this encounter…"

Foromir tried to use magic on Brom but the dragon hold was filled with enchanted mirrors that absorbed all his magical attacks. A trap spell placed by Brom, he couldn't even place up wards. Brom smiled. "Your magic is useless Foromir… I have been planning this for a long time…"

They charged one another swinging their blades, Foromir danced around Brom who blocked backwards and spun flourishing his sword from side to side. Brom punched Foromir in the head, he did a spin kick to Brom's chin, who rolled to the ground and came up on his feet. Foromir charged him thrusting his sword out, but Brom side stepped him and cut Foromir across the chest.

"Can you feel it Foromir… Your death is at hand…"

"Morzan was right about you… You are a fool… Brom Knocker"

Brom sneered and charged driving him towards one of the eight mirrors he set up in the hold. When Foromir was close his own reflection jumped out of the mirror and grabbed his sword. The mirror image threw the blade at Brom he caught it and he leapt at Foromir stabbing him in the heart.

"Maybe I am not the fool you thought I was…" Brom withdrew the sword and decapitated him. Brom was breathing heavy, _"Brisinger!"_ Fire burst all over the castle and Brom escaped standing on a hill watching the fortress burn to the ground.

Kialandi walked through the ruins of her fortress and found Foromir's bones in the rubble. She buried them and kept his sword, then she buried his dragon's bones as well. Thud a percussion of air blew her now shoulder length hair. Thud dust and debris blew up all around Kialnadi as Morzan's dragon landed in the field.

"I am sorry for Foromir's death… He was great man…" Morzan said standing behind her. She spun around and tried to slap Morzan, but quick as an elf he caught her hand.

"Don't be stupid…"

"If you would have let me kill Brom in Vroengard… Foromir would still be alive…"

"Perhaps…"

"I will hunt Brom down…"

Morzan laughed, "Galbatorix wants you to return to Urubaen…" She just stared at him. "There are consequences to disobeying Galbatorix…"

"Find Brom Morzan… Find him and bring him to us alive… Or I will haunt you with the spirits I summon…"

He smiled, "Don't make idle threats… I am Galbatorix's favorite…"

She jerked her hand away from him, "Nothing lasts forever…" She turned climbed onto her dragons saddle and they took off.

Brom's deed caused more recruits to join the Varden. When Galbatorix received word that an army was gathering to attack Aroughs he sent Morzan and five other members of the forsworn to deal with the situation. However Brom's target wasn't Aroughs, it was Gilead. Brom had an army of five thousand positioned in the mountains not far from Gilead, for the past six months the Varden had been digging a tunnel all the way to the city. When night fell the Varden's warriors burst up from the ground and burned the city to the ground, killing thousands of new recruits.

In his rage Galbatorix punished all the forsworn except for Morzan, but he made Morzan watch. "You are the cause of their suffering…" He whispered to Morzan as they screamed in pain, "I expect better from you… Find Brom…" Morzan stared at Galbatorix, he gripped the hilt of his sword and that is when the Razac entered the thrown room.

"You summoned ussss my lord…" The Razac hissed.

Galbatorix turned his back to Morzan. "Yes… Morzan needs help… Find Brom and bring him to me alive…"

Brom stood in the amphitheater deep in the underground city of Tronjheim. His arms were crossed as he watched the members of the Varden celebrate their victory in Gilead. A woman sang to a minstrel playing on a lute. Another man played light tunes on a flute.

Weldon looked at Brom and made his way to the platform, "Why the long face… Join the jubilee…"

"I will celebrate when my sword is firmly planted in Morzan's treacherous heart and Galbatorix's head has been removed from his shoulders…"

Weldon sighed, "You do yourself a discredit…"

Brom placed a hand on his shoulder, "We meet tomorrow with the allied leaders… don't party too hard…"

Weldon was about to go after him but Arya stopped him, "Leave him…"

"But…"

"But nothing… Brom is that way because his dragon was killed by his best friend who is now his enemy…"

The next day Brom met with Weldon, Almen, Arya, Hrothgar, and the council of elders. "We have dealt Galbatorix a mighty blow and Brom has killed Foromir…" Melista said.

"Yes now is the time to strike… We can raise an army unlike any has ever seen… Then we can take Urubaen itself…" Gamiss said.

"One victory doesn't give us cause to attack Urubaen…" Almen said

"We will do nothing…" Brom said looking at everyone at the table.

"But…" Lorn said, Brom stopped him by raising his hand.

"Galbatorix knows the Varden exists… He will rebuild, Gilead… That attack was to bloody his nose… Our spies spread the word of what really happened in Gilead… I wanted to give those under his thumb hope and cause to think… Now the Varden will disappear into the shadows… When we strike it will be like a hurricane… A quick and decisive victory will boost the moral of those that fight for us… We will only fight battles that we know we can win…And we will strike, but only after careful preparation…"

Everyone nodded in agreement and it was Hrothgar who said; "You are a clever strategist Master Brom… Foroimir's death will please the clan lords to know end…"

"We will wait and watch to see how Galbatorix moves…"

The Varden's victory gained great respect among the dwarves who were divided on the subject of supporting them. More clans were willing to support Brom and his Varden, including the clan Az Swell Rak Ahunin who had been apposed, but to weak to do anything. To gain more respect from the dwarves Brom convinced Arya to speak to Queen Islanzadi to give supplies to the clan Ahunin so that they could rebuild themselves. Brom and the Varden also began disrupting trade in the empire. Entire caravans began to disappear, ships were lost on the sea especially ships carrying personal items for Galbatorix and the Forsworn. It got so bad that Galbatorix placed a sizable bounty on his head. As time went on many people started to join the Varden, but that stopped when Galbatorix made an example of the village of Jorpha.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15. Weldon

Weldon had eaten breakfast and was making his way towards Brom's office in Tronjheim. When he neared the door the two guards at the door announced him before he was allowed to enter. When he entered Arya, Glenwig, and Faolin were there waiting.

"Sorry I am late… This mountain is so big…"

Brom whispered a spell so that no one could ease drop on their conversation. "I hope you are aware that I have been grooming you to take my place…"  
>Weldon sighed, "I am aware… but I secretly hoped you would change your mind…" He replied after taking a seat.<p>

Brom leaned back in his chair, "I accomplished what I desired, but my real focus is Morzan and the Forsworn… I can't be in two places at once so I am resigning my position to pursue my true passions…"

"We still need you…"

"I will offer my advice when I can, but for the most part you must now guide the Varden… Beware of politics and remember you rule the Varden, but always heed the council… Arya has worked closely with me and she has your confidence… If you need advice depend on her…"

"When will you leave…" Weldon asked.

"I will leave next week… and I will announce your placement… to the Varden and the council…"

"I will do as you taught me…"

The council took Weldon's placement with a grain of salt and in the end it was Weldon's own elegant words that won them over. To cement himself as leader of the Varden, Weldon implemented a plan to set fire to the docks of all the coastal cities in order to disrupt trade in the empire.

"A bold move…" Arya said in a meeting Weldon was holding with Hrothgar, and the council of Elders.

"We are going to have to coordinate this perfectly to succeed… Arya, I need you, Faolin, and Glenwig to coordinate with the Du Vrang Gata in order to pull this off… When we strike it will happen simultaneously…"

In order for Weldon's plan to work he asked King Larkin the Second to commission five merchant ships that would sail to the five ports along the coast. All the ships would arrive at different times and then strike at once setting the docks ablaze. Arya was on board the ship the Aiedel, while Glenwig was on board the Tidal Wave. Faolin was on board the Stryder. The elves were able to keep communication between the five ships as the other two ships had the most powerful members of the Du Vrang Gata.

Arya paced back and forth as her ship was in Teirm. When she received word from Faolin who was in Narda it was time. ("Now!" ) She shouted with her mind. Each ship was equipped with catapults to launch barrels of flaming tar at the docks. When the docks were ablaze they took the ships out to sea and pointed them at the docks. A huge explosion shook the city as plumes of smoke arose from the coast.

"Now is the time to strike… We should take Aroughs…" King Larkin said. Weldon, Arya, Almen, and King Hrothgar sat in council in the war room of Borromeo castle.

"No we have accomplished a lot… we will wait and watch…" Larkin tried to protest, but Weldon stopped him. "King Larkin… Galbatorix's time will come maybe not in our life time,,, but his end will come… Be patient and let your subjects live their lives in as much peace as possible… For when the times comes… All the races of Alagaesia will be called upon to fight…"

Larkin let it drop and the rest of the meeting was about supplies for the Varden. They also discussed borrowing gold from the dwarves and Surda to pay the warriors who fight for the Varden. Hrothgar also expressed the desires of his people to fight in the raids conducted by the Varden. Then Weldon, Arya, and Hrothgar returned to Trojheim.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16. Mad King

Galbatorix's time had been consumed with mastering his Eldunari. He had bonded with fifteen of the dragon hearts. His new found power made the remaining members of the forsworn fear him in awe and wonder. When he wasn't mastering his eldunari Galbatorix was plotting and planning either his revenge on the Urgals, his conquest of the Beors and how he was going to conquer the elves when he couldn't find their hidden cities.

When word reached Galbatorix about the docks throughout his domain he became mad with rage. He summoned the remsining members of the Forsworn to Urubaen along with the Razac. There were three Razac, one had been killed by Brom within the last week. Durza was on a personal mission, another Shade had taken over Ceuneon and Durza went to deal with it. Shruiken was on his dias watching as Galbatorix paced back and forth in front of his thrown.

He stopped and oloked down on the Forsworn, "Would someone care to tell me why all trading in my empire has stopped…"

"It is the Varden… They strike and vanish into thin air…" Durnom said.

"You all have failed me… You let this happen…" Galbatorix pointed at each and everyone of them. "How can you call yourselves riders…"

Kialnadi grew angry, "The fault lies in yourself not us…" Morzan grabbed the hilt of his sword, while the others took three steps away from her.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me… All day long you hold up in that lab of yours doing who knows what… You swore no secrets among the Forsworn and yet somehow you have managed to increase your power beyond all of us put together… If the Varden have grown strong… It is because you have been lax on your thrown…"

Galbatorix moved so fast it was like a flash of lightening. He wrapped his caloused hands around her throat and lifted her off her feet. "You don't question me… You serve me…" Her eyes rolled in her head and she started gagging.

"That is enough…" Morzan screamed, "…You will kill her."

Galbatorix sneered and threw Kialandi down on the marble floor. "I am aware of everything that happens in my domain and the Varden are playing right into my hands…"

"Did your plan envolve Foromir's death…" Kialandi asked rubbing her throat.

"No… You can blame yourself for that… You should have killed Brom when you had the chance…"

Kialandi pointed at Morzan, "This fool ordered me not too…"

Morzan drew his sword, "Careful who you call fool …whore…"

Kialandi drew her sword, "Enough!" Orwin yelled. "Fighting amongst ourselves accomplishes nothing…"

Kialandi and Morzan just stared at each other and sheathed their swords when Galbatorix said; "If you fight I will punish the looser…" When they returned their attention to Galbatorix he continued to say, "When I have mastered my secrets to my satisfaction I will share it with you… As for now I want you all to go hunting… To kill and destroy all those who serve the Varden… Let them know my wrath…"

Durnom stepped forward, "What about Surda? How long will you allow that piss ant of a country exist…"

Galbatorix sat down, "I have plans for Surda… When the time comes my enemies will gather there and it is there that I will ellimenate them… Now go and rain down fire on all infidels…"

The forsworn did just that using Galbatorix's spellcasters to hunt down the Varden's spies. Any village found guilty of aiding the enemy was reduced to a pile of ashes. Orwin had been ordered to destroy the village of Laeth near Gilead. The entire village was sympathetic to the Varden and Orwin had been ordered to kill everyone men, women, and children. Orwin tried to convince Galbatorix to reduce everyone to slavery, but Galbatorix could not be reasoned with.

Gaerravar reluctantly dove on the village spewing fire from his mouth. As the villagers tried to flee a wall of fire erupted around the entire village. With a few words in the ancient language the fire expanded inward burning everyone. Tears streamed from Orwin's face as the fearful screams of the people rose up into the air. As the village burned he ordered Gaerravar to fly out over the surrounding farms. Five hours later Orwin walked through the ashen village searching for survivors. There weren't any in the village or the surrounding farms. He sat down on a well and stared into the distance.

("This is the fruit of your actions… Galbatorix has shamed what it means to be a Rider…")

Orwin closed his mind to Gaerravar not willing to endure his condescending remarks. He felt guilty enough already for the destruction he unleashed on the village. He stood up and climbed up Gaerravar's side to the saddle and they flew south to his fortress.

Meanwhile a secret bloody war broke out all over Alagaesia, between the spies that served the Varden and those that served Galbatorix and the forsworn. People were poisoned, assassinated, and kidnapped. Brom himself had a hand in it and the rest by highly skilled spies of the Varden. While the war unfolded Galbatorix retuned his attention to his Eldunari. He had been searching for Tiamax's eldunari among the others but he was unable to find it.

("Where did the wild dragons hide their Eldunari before their pact with the Elves…")

Shruiken snorted fire from his nostrils, ("You are smart man… Figure it out…")

Galbatorix sneered and used Shruiken's invinted name in the ancient language. He laughed at the attempt, _("I command you… Dru Skulvalba Koan Dou Yael Brinhar…") _When Shruiken continued to laugh he threatened the dragon. "I will punish you… I will torment you with images of that fool little boy…"

("And I will torment you with images of Jornunvosk…")

("I commanded you never to mention that name…")

Shruiken stood up, ("And so you did… If you haven't destroyed all the ancient scrolls then look up the name Kuthian… Now I must eat…") He flicked his tail as if dismissing Galbatorix and left the hold.

"What do you know about the wild dragons and a place called Kuthian…" Galbatorix asked to Durza.

Durza raised an eyebrow, "Kuthian? Do you mean the Rock of Kuthian… It is the place where the dragons of old hid there Eldunari before their pact with the elves…"

Galbatorix grabbed Durza in excitement, "Yes… where is it?"

"I know not… The place is known to me, but the location is hidden…" From that moment on Galbatorix began searching his scrolls for the knowledge of the Rock of Kuthian. He was obsessed with finding it and left the affairs of his empire to the forsworn.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17. Orwin's Regret

When Orwin returned to his fortress, his steward gave him reports on his personal affairs and movements of Surdan troops, neither of which he was ready to deal with.

"I almost forgot my lord…" The steward said, "This letter came from Aroughs…"

Orwin ran his hands across the letter and closed his eyes, he didn't feel any trap spells, but he did feel something familiar about it. He stood up and went to his suit where Gaerravar was waiting. He placed the letter near Gaerravar's nose.

("Tell me… What do you smell…") The green dragon took two long sniffs and turned one huge eye on Orwin.

("I smell Brom…") Orwin smirked and opened the letter, it was a fake of course from the governor of Aroughs. After Orwin read the letter he took one of his spellcasters and transmutted the man to look like like him. ("Take my double to Aroughs…") He said to Gaerravar.

("And what if Brom tries to kill me…") Gaerravar asked.

("He won't… I think he is trying to kill me…")

Orwin's plan worked although it cost him his spellcaster. As the days past, Galbatorix's orders caused Orwin to change his views about Galbatorix. He had not kept his promises in regards to rebuilding the riders. The forsworn dragons couldn't mate because their young would be nothing but animals. Galbatorix even came up with the idea of trasmutting Gaerravar into a female dragon, but the problem with that was the fact that Shruiken shared in the curse Vrael placed on Galbatorix.

That combined with Galbatorix's outbursts of rage and his merciless rule made Orwin regret many of the decisions he had made especially the one to join Galbatorix. ("Tell me your Eldunari… can you still affect things through magic even from within…") Orwin asked Gaerravar.

He snorted, ("The legends say so… Why do you ask…")

Orwin kept it hidden from Gaerravar, but when they were killing dragons, he noticed Galbatorix's interest in them and began hording his own stash of Eldunari. Orwin closed his mind to Gaerravar, ("Then Galbatorix is drawing his power from the Eldunari… Then where is he keeping them… He must have made a spell to bond with them since he can't carry them around…") His thoughts were interrupted by a mental summons from Galbatorix.

Orwin cursed and quickly saddled Gaerravar and the two of them left for Urubaen that day. Five days later Orwin flew onto the balcony on the master's tower. He walked down the steps to the thrown room and knelt before Galbatorix.

"You summoned me…"

"Yes I did…" Shruiken was not there, "You seem

distracted as of late… even a bit melancholy…" Galbatorix caressed his sword Avaless. "You may speak freely…"

Orwin raised an eyebrow, "You have been ignoring your empire… and when you give it attention… You make emotional decisions… The people of your kingdom will accept your rule better if you showed some mercy…"

Galbatorix stood up and walked down the steps, "Is that it…" When Orwin remained silent Galbatorix placed and hand on his shoulder and led him towards the eastwing. "I shall take your words under consideration… In the mean time I need maps… Extensive maps of the Beor Mountians… The dwarves maybe the elder race, but they are not invulnerable… I can think of no one else who knows the Beors better…"

Orwin smirked, because he realized that Galbatorix was trying to get him out of the way. "It will take months if not years to map the Beors…"

"Of course… I want timely updates… every three months…"

Orwin returned to his fortress in order to prepare for his new mission. As he got ready many of the decisions Orwin made weighed heavily on his mind and he fell on his bed when he thought of all the dragons and riders he killed and forced Gaerravar to kill. He stayed that way for the next five hours in sorrow.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18. Redemption

("Are you ill…") Gaerravar asked when Orwin joined him in the courtyard.

Orwin began loading the saddle with supplies, ("I am fine…")

Gaerravar yawned, ('Where are we going anyway?")

("Galbatorix wants extensive maps of the Beor Mountains… so we will map the mountains…")

("That could take years…") Gaerravar felt Orwin was hiding something from him, ("What aren't you telling me…")

He climbed up and sat down tightening the straps on his legs, ("You know what I know…")

Gaerravar snorted, ("Sure…") As Gaerravar leapt into the air he called out to Shruiken and explained what was happening.

("You are wise to be concerned my friend…") Shruiken said. ("Galbatorix is… concerned with Orwin's mood of late… He was considering killing Orwin and offering you as a second dragon to Morzan… I did what I could to change his mind… He wants to conquer the Dwarves and is planning on using the Urgals to do it… I planted the idea in his head to have Orwin map the mountains…")

("Thank you my friend…")

("I am sorry I can't do more…")

('What you have done is appreciated…") They broke contact as Gaerravar flew due east. He had decided not to tell Orwin what he had learned from Shruiken.

In the first month Gaerravar and Orwin mapped the western edge of the mountains near Surda. Towards the Hadarac Desert. In three months he had mapped only a small portion and brought it to Galbatorix. When he returned to the Beors Orwin found two sealed entrances that led to the city of Orthiad. The ancient city was in ruins and had been abandoned during the Dwarf, Dragon war long ago.

("Gaerravar…")

He snorted, ('What do you want…") He never missed an opportunity to let Orwin know that he hated the things he forced him to do.

Orwin sighed, ("What do you know of the Eldunari…")

When he didn't answer right away Orwin envoked his true name, ("They are called the heart of hearts… We dragons can expel them from our bodies and whoever holds them is connected to us at all times…") Gaerravar was lying down in the crumbled street and stood up, ("Why do you ask…")

Orwin turned away to add the city to his map. "No reason…" He replied answering out loud. ("Galbatorix can draw power from the eldunari to increase his power and strength, but…") Orwin had closed his mind off to Gaerravar as he spoke to himself.

("Fine don't answer me…")

By the second month Orwin was over a hundred and fifty miles southwest of Orthiad. He spotted an alcove and decided to camp there for the night after adding the alcove to his map.

("I am going hunting…") Gaerravar grumbled in his mind and without waiting for a reply he took off.

Orwin was about to make a fire, when he spotted the fragments of dragon eggs. They littered the alcove and from the fragments he could tell they had been four eggs layed here. This part of the Beors had been assigned to Morzan and Serra. He remembered them reporting to Galbatorix that they had found a family of dragons living in the mountains. They killed the dragons and destroyed their eggs on his orders. It was the family of dragons he had negotiated with, Orwin fell to his knees as he remembered his last mission. The mission where he lost his temper and struck Gaerravar. He screamed into the air out of frustration with himself.

After an hour Orwin stood up and walked to the back of the alcove. He was about to turn away when something caught his attention, actually his mind was drawn to a pile of leaves and sticks. He kicked them with his foot and bent down to use his hands. When Orwin removed the leaves and sticks he jumped up and gasped, because buried under the pile of sticks and leaves was a brown dragon egg.

"Impossible…" He whispered to himself. He touched the egg and his dragon mark tingled. As Gaerravar returned to the alcove Orwin covered the egg up.

("I thought you would have a fire started by now…")

His remark was ignored and Orwin wrestled with many thoughts in his mind. His oath to Galbatorix demanded he turn the egg over to him, but Orwin wasn't bound to the oaths he made to Galbatorix. ("Galbatorix isn't fit to rule…") He thought to himself.

For the next three days he wrestled with his emotions all the time ignoring Gaerravar's comments.

("How long are we going to stay here… What has you so befuddled…")

Orwin started crying as his mind lead him to the belief that this was an opportunity at redemption for himself. He turned his tear soaked face to Gaerravar which ccaused the green dragon to snort. There had only ever been one other time he had seen Orwin cry and that was during his judgement.

"I have many things to say to you… but first…" Orwin opened his mind and touched Gaerravar, who resisted the contact at first. When he realized that Orwin was trying to link their minds and show him what was happening to him on the inside the dragon allowed the contact. Orwin and Gaerravar hadn't connected like that since their last mission for Vrael and the council of elders. It surprised Gaerravar to feel a mountain of regret inside his rider.

He addressed Gaerravar in the ancient language, _"As you know I have always struggled with anger… if it was in my power I would change the past, but it is not… I cry your pardon… I wish to atone for my actions and if that means my death then so be it… I only have one last secret to share… Do with it and me as you will…"_

He walked to the back of the alcove and uncovered the egg, Orwin took a deep breath after picking up the egg. Then he spun around and marched up to Gaerravar placing the egg on the ground. He dropped to his knees and said in the ancient language; _"I release you from all the oaths I made you sware and I offer my life to you…"_

It was as if a heavy weight had been removed from Gaerravar's shoulder's, he spewed fire into the air and looked down on Orwin. With a push of his snout he shoved him to the ground. Orwin's eyes were closed and he made no move to defend himself.

("I should rend you limb from limb… I should fill you fire and destroy you…") Orwin remained silent. ("But I since a true change in you… It takes a great man to admit when he is wrong… I will not kill you…")

With tears streaming down his face, Orwin stood up, "Thank you…" He picked up the egg, "What do you want to do… I made an oath to Galbatroix and while I am not bound to that oath who would trust me… If I turned the egg over to Brom and Galbatorix found out he would not rest until I was dead…"

("The only choice is to find an apprentice for our egg and train him in secret… When we begin fighting the forsworn Brom and the Varden will be more apt to trust you…")

Orwin smiled, "Are we one again…"

"Truly we are one…"

The first thing Gaerravar did was expel his Eldunari and they buried it in the alcove. Then Orwin placed spells and wards over the alcove so that no one could human or animal could find or enter it. They hid the egg and finished mapping the mountains before returning to Galbatorix.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19. Search For An Apprentice

After reporting to Galbatorix Orwin returned to his fortress and began sneaking his young servants into the Beors. While Gaerravar explored the Beors Orwin would wait at the Alcove with the servant to see if the egg would hatch, it did not. If the egg didn't hatch Oriwn would remove everything about the egg from the young person's mind and return them to his fortress before reporting back to Galbatorix. Six months past of bringing servants to the Beors and the egg didn't hatch. When Orwin began to get frustrated Gaerravar calmed him with his mind.

His name was Jaerden and his father had fought for king Abernost in the Wrydfel. His father died during the fighting of the city killed by Morzan. Jaerden's father was one of King Abernost's bodyguards. When her husband died Jaerden's mother packed her belongings and fled Ilirea. She traveled south with many refugees and gave birth to her second son while they traveled. She named the boy Torvan after her father. Jaerden had been named after his father. Eventually the people they traveled with formed the town of Furnost. The people swore faelty to Galbatorix when Orwin built his fortress in the forest near lake Tudeston.

When Jaerden turned eighteen his brother was six and fell sick with water disease. Jaerden had a love for horses and took work in Orwin's stables. He helped with grooming and training horses for Galbatorix's calvary. His mother Leala got work as a tavern cook in Furnost.

Jaerden was now twenty-five years old, he had brown hair, icy blue eyes, and a baby like face that hid the steel of his heart. He accepted his station in life without complaint as his father taught him before he died, that life is easier when you take all the good with the bad. Jaerden was six feet tall and built like a runner, he had a cheery disposition and didn't allow the troubles of life to bother him much.

It was the tenth month of the year and Jaerden was in the stables brushing a black stallion. He whistled a tune his mother often sang to him as a child. He stopped when a shadow covered the doorway to the stables. He dropped to his knees when he saw Orwin standing in the doorway.

"My lord…"

He raised his hand, "I am going into the Beor mountains… I would like you to accompany me… Gather some supplies and meet in three days in the courtyard… You may take leave of your family…"

Leala hugged her son fiercely, "You be careful… The Beors is a dangerous place… The old legends say the dwarves dwell there and they are an unforgiving people… If they catch you with Orwin they will kill you…"

"Have you ever met a dwarf…"

"You were just a babe, but your father invited his friend to our home for dinner, I forget his name… They called him the Bear Hunter…"

It was the second day before Jaerden was to be in the courtyard. He got up three hours before sunrise to say goodbye to his brother. Then he left for the courtyard, the soldiers at the gate were expecting him and allowed him in without question. Berman the chief Stableman was waiting in the courtyard.

"My best horse trainer… Come back soon son…"

"I will sir…"

The roar of a great beast drowned out his voice. A green dragon exited two heavy oak doors and entered the courtyard. He wore a molded saddle that fit in a space between his shoulders where its white ivory spikes broke. Its green eyes settled on Jaerden and unnerved the youth. The dragon's wings were like a leaf, its eyes were like two large emeralds. A few minutes later Orwin entered the courtyard and introduced Jaerden to Gaerravar.

("We are well met Master Jaerden…") Gaerravar said addressing him directly.

Jaerden swallowed hard, "He can talk…"

"Yes dragons aren't dumb beasts…"

('The ones that have not been cursed…") Gaerravar said.

Orwin placed Jaerden in the saddle first and strapped his legs down then Orwin sat behind him after securing their supplies. When Gaerravar rose to his full height Jaerden smiled with excitement as the green dragon crouched low to the ground. Then with a great heave the ground dropped away and they were in the air. Jaerden screamed at the top of his lungs in excitement. He felt completely at home riding the dragon's back.

The trip was long as they had to fly past already mapped lands, they passed another abandoned dwarf city called Dalgon and stopped to add it to the maps. Jaerden helped and had a mediocre understanding of how to create a map.

"And where did you learn to do that?" Orwin asked as they ate lunch.

"From my father…" Jaerden was relieved when Orwin didn't ask more questions about his father, but Orwin already knew everything about Jaerden.

The next day they were flying again, but instead of continuing north they turned south west and didn't stop until they reached an Alcove. Jaerden gasped because he didn't spot the alcove until Orwin whispered a strange word that sent a tingle through his body. The alcove was well hidden by many trees. A small pond of fresh water sat in the center and the ground was covered by leaves.

Jaerden felt safe in the alcove as if nothing would or could harm him here. The alcove felt as if it were alive to him. 'You can cook can't you…" Orwin asked unpacking the saddle. He already knew the answer to the question.

"Yes sir…"

"Then get a fire started and prepare our dinner…"

As Jaerden made dinner Orwin sat crossed leg in front of Gaerravar with his eyes closed. He was aware of what Jaerden was doing while he and Gaerravar talked to each other in private. Before Jaerden could tell him the food was done Orwin popped up and took some stew then he returned to his spot in front of Gaerravar. His eyes never left Jaerden as he ate the stew and neither did Gaerravar's.

"Can you tell me about the Riders…" Jaerden asked trying to break the silence.

"I could if you are worthy…" Jaerden didn't know how to respond to that so he remained silent the entire time. "You are an excellent cook…" Orwin said after he had eaten his third bowl.

"Thank you sir… My mother taught me…" Orwin handed Jaerden his bowl and he cleaned them with water from the pond. He drank from his wineskin staring at the few stars that broke the darkness of the Beors.

"If you had great power what would you do with it…"

The question was so unexpected Jaerden almost choked because he was taking another sip from his wineskin. He stumbled over the words and stopped to give the question more thought. Finally he smiled, "If I had power I would heal my brother and bestow great riches on my mother.

Jaerden's smile quickly vanished when he saw the look on Orwin's face. The pause in the conversation was so long that Jaerden began to figit. "Galbatorix… If you had the power what would you do about him and the forsworn?" Dread came over Jaerden as his mind raced on what to say. Orwin smiled at him, "You may speak freely without fear…"

Those words and Orwin's smile made Jaerden square his shoulders. He stared Orwin in the eyes and said with total conviction; "If I had the power I would destroy Galbatorix and the forsworn…"

Orwin smiled, but it was Gaerravar who spoke touching his mind. ("What have the forsworn done to gain your wrath…")

"They are evil… My father was a soldier… One of King Abernost's royal guard…"

("We are members of the forsworn would you kill us with this power…")

With no hint of fear Jaerden responded, "Yes I would…" Dragon and Rider looked at each other, then Orwin reached behind him and passed a brown stone looking orb to Jaerden. "What is this?"

"An egg…" Orwin said, "A dragon egg to be specific… If it hatches you will become our apprentice and help us destroy Galbatorix and the forsworn…"

Jaerden was overwhelmed, a part of him wanted to return the egg, but if it hatched he could help his mother and brother. "What if it doesn't hatch?"

"We will erase all this from your mind and return to my fortress…"

The next morning Gaerravar left to hunt and map the mountains while Orwin remained behind with Jaerden who kept the egg with him at all times. He even made a sack to carry it when he needed to free up his hands.

"Um… Master Orwin sir… Why don't you and Gaerravar join the Varden…"

Orwin was bathing in a large wooden tub with water from the pond, "Why do you think…"

He scratched his head, "Well… I suppose the varden wouldn't trust you…"

Orwin smiled, "Go on…"

"And… even if you swore to fight for them… Galbatorix would bring down the full might of his power on the Varden and all their allies... to keep a rider from joining his enemies…"

"So why am I taking a risk in keeping the egg?"

"Because actions speak louder than words…"

"Yes… You have a keen mind Jaerden… I hope the egg hatches for you…"

The rest of the day, the egg remained inactive. Jaerden rarely looked at anything else as Orwin went over the maps that filled the blank scrolls through Gaerravar's eyes via a spell. As the sun set the next day, a strange sound caused Jaerden to remove the egg from the sack. He gasped when he saw the crack in the egg. He sat the egg on the ground and watched as it cracked open to reveal a male dragon. His scales were the purest brown ever seen. His spikes, teeth, claws, and wing claws were ivory white; his eyes were brown.

He scooped the little dragon up as Orwin walked over to him, just in time to catch him as he feinted. "He needs a name…" Orwin said when Jaerden awoke, who now had the gedwey ignasia on his right hand.

"I will name him Draco…"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20. Jaerden And Draco

Jaerden's lessons began immediately the next morning. Orwin started with the alphabet of the ancient language and symbols. The he had Jaerden stretched and practiced the dance of the crane and snake. Then they practiced with wooden swords, by the end of the day Jaerden was soar and tired.

"Not bad for your first day… I am thoroughly impressed…" Jaerden just smiled, as Draco climbed into his lap and hissed at Orwin.

"I feel like I want to die…"

Orwin laughed and took a wineskin and whispered a spell over it. "Here drink this…" He said tossing it to Jaerden.

After he drank from the wineskin he felt a lot better, "Master…" Orwin acknowledged him with a grunt, "Why did you join the forsworn…"

Orwin sighed as he cooked their dinner with magic, "That is not a story you are ready to hear now…"

Jaerden accepted that without complaint, the next day they began again, only Orwin added the Dwarvin language to his studies. "If I keep this up my head will explode…"

Orwin smiled, "No it won't… Now pronunciation is very important when dealing with dwarves..."

"How many apprentices have you had…"

"You are my first and only one…" Orwin said in a sad tone.

Time passed quickly during which Draco's growth was incredible. He still couldn't talk but his feelings were true and his character eclectic. When Draco was shoulder high to Jaerden Orwin took the dragon hunting. Jaerden came too and they stalked a young Nagra. Draco killed the creature within twenty minutes after receiving only minor cuts that Orwin healed.

"He could have been killed…" Jaerden yelled.

"Not while I was there… I did it to build his strength and confidence… When we face the forsworn I want Draco to know how to take down dragons bigger than he is… and because the forsworn dragons are cursed that doesn't make them any less dangerous… What they lack in intelligence they make up for with rage… and their riders…"

When they returned to camp Gaerravar was waiting for them. In excitement Draco glided over to the older dragon and they tussled playfully with each other.

("Listen to me Jaerden our time grows short… and Orwin and I must leave the two of you alone…")

"Gaerravar has left his Eldunari here… So you will never be alone… You will always be connected to us…"

("We have placed many spells of illusions and traps over this alcove… so only you and Draco can enter it…")

Gaerravar and Orwin were talking in turns and it caused Draco to shift his head back and forth between the two. "Do not wonder from the alcove needlessly… The Varden have eyes in the Beors…"

"When will we see you again…" Jaerden asked.

"A month maybe less…" Orwin took Jaerden to the pool of water, "I have one spell to teach you before I leave… It takes a lot of energy, but you are strong enough for it… Repeat after me… _Draumr Kopa…" _

He did, "It means…" Jaerden hesitated. "Dream stare…" Orwin nodded in approval and explained the ins and outs of scrying.

"When I return to my fortress I will have to remove you from the minds of your family and everyone who knew you…"

A tear slid down Jaerden's face, "I understand…"

The next day Orwin left and when he and Gaerravar returned to their fortress they placed everyone in the castle in a sleep then they removed Jaerden from their minds. Jaerden watched Orwin heal his brother and bestow great wealth on his mother and brother through scrying. After Orwin removed Jaerden from their minds he put the idea in their heads to move to Teirm. He also blessed them in the ancient language.

Jaerden's first night alone in the Beors was depressing. He could speak with Orwin and Gaerravar through the Eldunari, but it was still unsettling to speak with someone he couldn't see. The next morning Gaerravar called to them and made Jaerden do his lessons. Draco had to practice lifting bolders and hovering in the air. Three more weeks passed and Draco was ready to be ridden.

("When you leave the Alcove alone the invisibility spell will automatically activate and it will draw energy from Gaeeravar's Eldunari…") Orwin said to them through Gaerravar.

('What about distance… You taught us that magic is effected by distance…") Jaerdan asked.

This time Gaerravar answered, ("The rules of distance no longer apply when it comes to a dragon's heart of hearts…")

Draco was growing impatient, ("Yes… yes let us be off…")

They leapt into the air and as soon as Jaerden and Draco crossed the barrier of the alcove they became invisible to all eyes. They flew for hours masters of the Beor Mountains. They explored many places before turning north and heading towards the Hadarac desert.

Draco and Jaerden shared many thoughts lying in the sand in the sun enjoying the warmth. A small force of heavily armed men marching through the desert interrupted their moment. Jaerden was alarmed at first, but then he remembered he was invisible.

('The Varden…") Draco said to Jaerden.

("I wonder where they are going…")

("Don't move…") Orwin said, ("Until they are gone…")

Jaerden spotted a scruffy man with a beard marching with them he turned his head in Jaerden's direction as if he could see him. He stopped and looked for a few seconds, then he continued on.

("That is Brom…") Gaerravar said.

("Did he see us…")

("No… He felt something odd, but I shielded you with my mind…") Gaerravar replied.

Orwin broke in, ("Return to the alcove…")

("Yes master… Where are you anyway…")

("We are heading towards Gilead… so by the time you reach the alcove we will be in Gilead… You won't here from us for a while…")

As Orwin told him, they didn't hear from Gaerravar or Orwin for the next two weeks. It was the middle of the third week, when Gaerravar and Orwin returned to the alcove. Orwin jumped down from the saddle.

'What happened master…"

Orwin sighed unpacking the saddle as Gaerravar explained. ("The Varden have lost many troops… It was a well layed trap by Morzan who lost a hand to Brom… Kialandi nearly died as well…")

"Catch!" Orwin yelled throwing a long object wrapped in a white clothe. When Jaerden unwrapped it he gasped, "A rider needs a rider's sword…"

"Thank you master…" The blade was the color of sand and the pommel and jewel were the same color brown as Draco's scales. The crossguard was gold and the pommel wrapped in gold wire. Jaerden unsheathed the blade and swung it revertly.

"The blade is forged from star metal… It will never dull or need sharpening… You must give it a name…"

"Did you forge this blade…"

"No…" He coldly answered. "Saddle Draco… the two of you are coming with us…"

They flew east to map the sections of the Beors where they left off. As they traveled the two dragons battled each other in the air while Orwin and Jaerden wrestled each other with their minds.

"Master once I asked you to tell me about the Riders… you said if I was worthy you would…" He hesitated, 'Were you referring to if Draco's egg hatched for me…" They were high in the mountains where the air was very thin, but they could still breath freely because of the spells Orwin placed.

He sighed, "Yes… I was…" Orwin told Jaerden and Draco about the Dwarf, Dragon wars; "There has never been a dwarf rider because they hate the dragons and the dragons hate the dwarves…" then he told then of the Elf Dragon wars which was started by an elf who hunted and killed a dragon. Then he went into how the the riders were formed and then Galbatorix's rise to power. "Vrael was the last leader of the council of elders… He was beheaded by Galbatorix himself…"

No one said a word as they sat around the fire, but then Draco snorted and asked; ("Then tell us… why did you join the forsworn?")

Gaerravar growled at Draco, but Orwin patted him on the side, ('They deserve to know…") he said in private to Gaerrvar. Orwin's eyes began to water, "I tell you this because you are my apprentices and have agreed to help us fight Galbatorix…" He paused as the tears streamed down his face. In a slow monotone voice he told them of his last mission for Vrael and the council of elders. Then he relayed to them the events that led to his separation from Gaerravar. "When Galbatorix came to power I was watching… In my mind I deduced that Vrael would start persecuting all the exiled Riders… In fear I fled my home after leaving a transmutted goat behind for Oromis to find…" Jaerden couldn't help it and he bust out laughing. Orwin smiled and continued the tale of his travels and why he joined the forsworn. "Galbatorix gave me what I wanted and at first I believed in him and his cause… but his promises were empty… he lacks the morality, compassion, and sanity to be a true ruler… After the wild dragons cursed the forsworn dragons… Morzan and the others became jealous of me for Gaerravar… They spared Shruiken because he did not choose Galbatorix and Gaerravar because I forced him into wrydfel… When I found Draco's egg I saw it as a chance to atone for my mistakes… I placed my life in Gaerravar's claws… He would either kill me and take the egg to the Brom or forgive me and give me a chance to redeem myself…"

Draco snorted, ("I would have killed you…")

('Be careful hatchling…") Gaerravar warned.

"Now the two of you know everything…"

"And how are we going to defeat the forsworn and Galbatorix…" Jaerden asked.

Orwin smiled, 'The same way they defeated the entire order… through subtifuge, gile, and training…" He gave Jaerden a scroll. "Learn those spells… for in them lie the secret to defeating the forsworn…"

Draco lay his head down in the snow, ("You haven't told us all your secrets… What about the Eldunari…")

("We will tell you that when you are ready…")

They spent the rest of their time training and mapping the mountains Orwin enslaved the mind of a wind viper to search the Beors while he and Gaerravar trained their apprentices.

"_Dacauth Ren Mull…" _Orwin said screaming one of the six death phrases. A ball of green energy sparked from his palm and flew at Jaerden, but it just fizzled against the wards Jaerden erected. "The wards you erected draw their energy from the spells cast at you… not your body…" Orwin drew a regular sword next and threw at Jaerden. The blade never touched him, it stuck in the ground at his feet. "…The wards also draw their strength from the kenetic energy used against you in a fight…"

"Then these wards make me invincible?"

Orwin shook his head, "Only an elven made blade can penetrate any kind of ward…"

Jaerden's skills grew and he learned to speak the Urgal language as well under Orwin's tutelage. He taught him how to sing in the ancient language and many spells that only elves could cast. Soon the two of them would betray Galbatorix and the forsworn and free Alagaesia.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21. Assassin

Brom had tried to kill Orwin with a fake letter from the governor of Aroughs. The letter was a ruse to trick Orwin in to coming to Aroughs. Orwin saw through the ruse and sent one of his personal spellcasters disguised as him to take his place. Brom killed the man after returning him to his proper form. Then the Varden suffered terrible losses to the empire, it was Morzan who layed down the trap that claimed over seventy percent of the Varden's forces, including Weldon. The only reason the others survived was because of Brom. Brom fought like a madman nearly cutting Kialandi's head off, but her dragon attacked Brom while Morzan healed her. When Brom mortally wounded Kialandi's dragon Morzan's dragon attacked him. He managed to wound the red dragon and would have killed him, but Morzan intervened. They fought a terrible duel and Brom cut off Morzan's left hand before Durza, the Razac, and Durnom showed up. He retreated via the Jiet River and swam down the river until he reached Dauth.

After resting in Dauth, Brom journeyed to Aberon where the council of elders elected a young woman named Malice to lead the Varden. Malice was young, not the youngest person to lead the Varden, but young. What she lacked in age she made up for in wisdom beyond her years. While the Varden returned to Tronjheim Brom went north via the town of Melian, then he traveled to Furnost zig zagging across the land. He was intent on finishing what he started with finally made it to Kuasta, he snuck into the city by climbing over the first wall and digging under the second.

He had no contacts in Kuasta so Brom was on his own. He rented a room as man seeking work as a shipmen. Then he rented a second room in disguise as a spy for Galbatorix. On his first night in Kuasta Brom kidnapped a soldier and used his ring Arwen to transmute the man so that he would like Brom then he tied the man up in the first room he rented and placed trap spells in the room. The next night he went up to the palace dressed as a soldier. When Kialandi received word that Brom was in Kuasta, she took twelve soldiers to comfront him, without calling Morzan or Galbatorix. Blinded by rage and revenge she burst into the room without checking it for trap spells. The fake Brom charged Kialandi and the soldiers. The fake Brom killed three soldiers before the real Brom stabbed him in the side. He fell to his knees as Kialandi summoned spirits to possess the fake Brom and turn him into a shade.

"I am going to enjoy this…" She said beaming.

That is when the real Brom activated his trap spells. The spells he layed added power to her spell summoning more spirits. She lost control and they turned on her, as they possessed her body Kialandi's hair became blood red. Her lips turned red and her skin turned pale as she howled into the air.

Brom unsheathed her blade and plunged it into her heart before the process was finished. She howled again and the spirits tore her body apart and left. When the remaining nine soldiers converged on Brom he used the energy stored in Arwen and cried. _"Jierda…" _There was a unified crack as all the soldier's knecks were broken at the same time. Brom cut all the soldiers and wrote in blood, _Morzan I am sorry I missed you and give Galbatorix my regards…_

Morzan walked through the mangled mess of bodies, Kialandi's sword was missing and all that remained was her clothes. Morzan stood in front of the wall reading the message Brom left him. He smirked; ("Oh Brom I will see you sooner than you think…")


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22. Betrayal

"And I tell you something is not right…" His name was Quintess and he was chief steward for Orwin in his fortress. He was addressing the chief spellcaster. A man by the name of Kyndell, who had sworn an oath in the ancient language to Orwin.

"You are being paranoid…"

Quintess threw his hands up in exasperation, "Ask yourself… Why was Orwin bringing servants into the Beors… Then he stopped and was bringing more food then he would need… Then I went into his private treasury… One of the swords he kept from the wrydfel is missing…"

Kyndell sighed, "And what would you have me do?"

"He leaves in two days for the Beors… I say we follow him…"

Reluctantly Kyndell agreed and they prepared to follow Orwin into the Beors. When the day came Orwin flew off on Gaerravar not knowing that he was being followed by Kyndell and Quintess. They followed them from a distance flying threw the air via a spell Kyndell placed on them. They were also invisible as they followed Orwin and his dragon to the beors.

When they reached the mountains a brown figure flew out towards Orwin and Gaerravar. At first Quintess and Kyndell thought it was a wild creature of the Beor Mountains, but when it got closer they both gasped and landed at the wonder that joined Orwin and his green dragon. It was a brown dragon, with a young man riding it, they watched as the two dragons circled each other and vanished into the depths of the mountains.

"I can't believe it another rider…" Kyndell said, he grunted as Quintess stabbed the spellcaster in the back. Then he quickly ran the blade across his throat so that he couldn't say a spell. When the deed was done Quintess had to treck his way to the lake side village of Pretovya. The village was just inside the Surdan boarder. A dangerous thing to do, but he was able to sell his ring and buy a horse. He left the village traveling to Furnost and from there he traveled to Urubaen. The trip took a month, but he was finally able to make it. He requested a private audience with Galbatorix and was able to rest and relax before he met with the king.

"My Lord Galbatorix… May you live forever…" He said after bowing.

"Orwin's chief steward… What brings you to Urubaen?"

"You my lord… and the treachery taking place right under your nose…" Shruiken was not present, but he was listening through Galbatorix.

He laughed, "What treachery do you speak of…"

"From Orwin Oxheart… Touch my mind great king and see what I speak of…" When Galbatorix touched Quintess' mind and saw the brown dragon rider in his mind he became angry. His rage was so intense thar Shruiken couldn't calm him. He searched Quintess' mind for clues as to the identity of the mysterious rider and found nothing.

"Guards!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs. He looked at Quintess, "You did well in bringing me this information… I shall reward you greatly…" The captain of the guard entered and saluted Galbatorix. "Take this man to the east wing and guard the door…" he saluted.

As they walked off Galbatorix racked his brain as he tried to figure out if he knew the rider. He did not, ("Morzan! Answer me!")

("Yes I hear you…")

("Orwin has betrayed me…")

Morzan grunted, ("I am not surprised… How has he betrayed you…") Galbatorix sent the images he got from Quintess and sent them to Morzan. ("No… I have never seen that boy before… Maybe he is a hatchling we missed…")

("No the dragon isn't big enough and he had a sword… That sword belonged to Cadoth…")

("Then the only other explanation is that he found that egg and it hatched for the boy…")

("I think you should be waiting for Orwin when he returns home… Punish him, but don't kill him…")

("What about Gaerravar…")

Galbatorix snorted, ("Kill him and bring me his eldunari…")

Shruiken was upset and tried to contact Gaerravar to warn him, but he couldn't because whenever Galbatorix was in rage, it clouded his mind. He had a mental trick to overcome the side effect of their twisted bond, but it had to be inacted before he went into rage.

When Galbatorix contacted Morzan he was in Dras Leona buying slaves for his fortress. He paid the auctioneer the five thousand crowns for fifty slaves. "My chief steward will come and get them… Until he arrives keep my slaves in the palace prison…"

"Of course my lord…"

Morzan went to the dragon hold, saddled his dragon and instructed it to fly east. It took seven days to reach Orwin's fortress and when he arrived they allowed him in and quickly prepared a room for him. Morzan spent the first week examining the minds of Orwin's servants for treachery. He found nothing and had to wait six weeks for Orwin's return.

When Gaerravar and Orwin entered the dragon hold Morzan was waiting with his dragon. "What are you doing here?" Orwin asked as his hand fell to his sword.

Morzan raised an eyebrow while his dragon's tail twitched like a cat's ready to pounce. "You remember what I told the day you joined the forsworn…"

Orwin slid his sword Server'uss from it's sheath, "I do…"

"Good so lets not play games… You have betrayed Galbatorix… Make it easy on yourself and tell me where the boy is…"

Gaerravar roared and leapt over Orwin, but Morzan hissed drawing Zarroc. He swung at Gaerravar who flared his wings and hung in the air. He swung with his claw knocking the sword from his hand, but Morzan's dragon tackled Gaerravar. They tussled back and forth and smashed through the doors into the courtyard.

Morzan dove for his sword but Orwin stepped on it and kicked Morzan in the face. He rolled back with a bloody nose, as Orwin removed a crystal dagger from his belt. He threw it, but Morzan overloaded the dagger with energy and shattered it releasing the cursed energy inside. Orwin leapt over the storm of energy with an overhead swing. Morzan ran up the stairs with Orwin chasing him. Morzan took the mind of three soldiers and made them attack Orwin, but they died as a result of the oaths they made in the ancient language. Their bodies dried up and shriveled until all that was left was bones. Morzan grabbed a sword from the wall and turned to face Orwin.

They fought back and forth in a deadly dance as they struggled with one another. Orwin swung his blade yelling and broke the sword Morzan wielded. He threw the broken pommel at Orwin and ran for the door. _"Paveth Noih…" _He screamed sealing the door with magic.

Morzan sighed and screamed, then he charged Orwin dodging his blade. He kicked Orwin in the leg and managed to punch him in the face. He caught Orwin's sword hand and they wrestled back and forth across the floor. Morzan knocked the blade from Orwin's hand then he punched him several times in the face as he tried to enter Orwin's mind. Orwin managed to head but Morzan, he stumbled backwards and dropped kicked him, Orwin fell out the window. Morzan was breathing heavy, he walked to the window to see what had become of Orwin, but Orwin brought his legs up and grabbed Morzan by the neck. He pulled him out of the window, now Morzan was holding Orwin's left leg as they both dangled from the window seal, a hundred feet up. Orwin kicked him twice in the face and as he fell, his dragon swooped up grabbing him with its claws. Orwin pulled himself up into the window and watched as Gaerravar chased the red dragon through the air. With his mind Morzan ordered his dragon to release him he fell towards Gaerravar whose mouth was open. Morzan recited the teleportation spell and Zarroc appeared in his hand burning it. Morzan grunted and stuck his sword out stabbing Gaerravar in the head. He released all the energy in the jewel and Gaerravar's head blew apart. All Orwin could do was watch in horror as his bond friend fell from the sky and hit the ground splitting open.

Orwin had been beaten to within an inch of his life and shackled, all Morzan could get from his mind was two names, Jaerden and Draco. He placed Orwin in the saddle and took him to Urubaen. When they reached Urubaen the remaining members of the forsworn were there. They watched as Morzan dragged the shackled traitor before Galbatorix. Morzan kicked him to his knees and walked up the steps handing Galbatorix Orwin's sword. Shruiken was there and asked him about Gaerravar, he sent the black dragon images of a message from Gaerravar.

Orwin looked up as Galbatorix stood over him, "I took you in and restored you and this is how you repay me… with betrayal…"

Orwin smiled, _"Hada Min Decauth…" _With those words he killed himself with magic and the body vanished in a green flash.

Galbatorix roared into the air like a dragon, "Serra… Durnom… go to the Beors and find this Jaerden and his dragon Draco… Offer them a chance to join us…"

Serra sneered, 'And if they refuse…"

He stopped and turned halfway up the steps to his thrown, "Kill them and bring me the dragon's eldunari…"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23. Vengeance

When Gaerravar and Orwin died both Jaerden and Draco felt it. Jaerden was practicing with his sword Beor when he felt his master die. He dropped the sword and fell to his knees. Jaerden crawled over to the pool of water to scry for his master. The hollow spot in the forest held his lifeless body. Tears streamed from his face as Draco roared into the air. The spells over the Alcove muted the sound. For the next three days, Jaerden remained on his knees without food or water. Then he got up and removed Gaerravar's Eldunari from its hiding place. The dragon was a rage of emotion and refused to acknowledge him.

It was the first day of the week and Jaerden felt a strange sensation. He ran to the pond of water and sryed the Beor Mountains and after six minutes he found the disturbance. Two members of the forsworn had entered the Beors and they called out to him with their minds.

("Serra and Durnom…") Draco said standing over Jaerden looking down on the pool.

Jaerden stood up. ("Are you thinking what I am thinking?")

("Always my rider… Let us do what we were trained to do…")

Jaerden ended the spell and put on his armor, a shirt of male. He put on his bracers and greaves, then he belted his sword Beor. Jaerden grabbed Draco's saddle and placed it on him, as he tightened the straps Gaerravar called out to him.

("You will get yourselves killed…")

Jaerden stopped and considered his words, ("You taught us master… You and Orwin taught us to be honorable and to honor the old order of the riders… If we die then we will die for the riders of old… we will die doing what we were trained to do…")

("We will fight…") Draco said. Jaerden climbed up Draco's side and recited the spells of power, then Draco crouched low and flew off.

("Jaerden… Draco… We know the two of you can hear us… Come out we won't harm you…") Serra said ridding her white dragon.

Durnom had his violet dragon crouched on a cliff on the side of a mountain. ("Galbatorix wants you to join him…") He said adding his mental shout to Serra's.

She had her dragon landed next to Durnom's. She sighed, "We should split up…"

"Is that wise? Remember what Morzan said… and who knows what this kid was taught or the extent of his powers…"

"We can cover greater ground that way…"

Durnom hunched his shoulders, "Alright… I will go to this Orthiad…"

"I will head deeper into the mountains… Stay in contact…"

What both Riders didn't realize was that they were beig watched by Jaerden and Draco from a tree in the side of the adjacent mountain. They weren't just invisible they were camouflaged into the background. They followed Durnom towards the abandoned city of Orthiad.

As Durnom flew on his dragon he spotted a group of dwarves yelling at him from the ground brandishing their weapons. He sneered, "Might as well have some fun… Maybe I can capture one for Galbatorix…" He made his dragon dive towards the dwarves with one word in the ancient language. As he flew past a tree Jaerden swung out on a vine with his sword drawn and decapitated Durnom. His dragon roared as the dwarves wavered and became Draco, who tackled the dragon from underneath. He slammed the violet dragon to the ground, wrapped his mouth around its neck and it was over.

("Durnom,,,") Serra screamed with her mind, but there was no answer.

("Durnom is dead… and soon you will join him…") A voice said touching Serra's thoughts.

("Really… Show yourself…")

Jaerden was standing on the branch of a tree with Durnom's head in his hand. Serra screamed and she and her dragon charged him, but Jaerden jumped down fifty feet and it was Draco who tackled the white dragon to the ground. Draco cut the straps from the white dragon's side and Serra hit the ground dazzed. With a thud Durnom's head landed next to her on the ground. She quickly got to her feet and charged Jaerden. They danced around each other fighting a deadly melee. She combined a death phrase with three death words, but her spell was consumed by his wards.

("Dam… He knows the wards of power…")

Jaerden sneered and used a phrase that was both of the ancient language and dwarf. Vines sprang up out of the ground twisting and tying around her body. Fear took hold of Serra as she tried to combat the strange magic. Her eyebrows went up and the vines burst into flames as she fell to her knees. He leapt forward and stabbed her but she fained weakness and wripped his sword from his hand, but Jaerden pulled a crystal dagger from his belt with his free hand and stabbed her in the chest. Jaerden spun around kicked her sword from her hand, then he bashed her in the side of the head with both fists. He stood over her pouring energy into her body allowing the poison to feed on it. Unable to focus anymore she fell down face first and died a slow death. He removed her belt and took it as his own.

A roar from behind caused Jaerden to turn around and watch as Draco wrestled with the white dragon. He sighed, ("Aren't you finished yet?")

("I wanted some fun…") Draco replied slamming the dragon into a bolder, ("But you are right this fight bores me…") He paralyzed the dragon with his mind and rippeds its throat out.

They returned to their Alcove in victory, but Gaerravar said from his eldunari. ("Galbatorix may send more or he may decide to come here himself…")

Jaerden sneered, ("Let them come… They will all die…")

("Perhaps we should go hunting them…") Draco said.

Jaerden looked at Draco, ("Not a bad idea… Maybe we can even find the man who betrayed Master Orwin…")

("The two of you have done enough… Now you should reveal yourselves to the Varden and give the people of Alagaesia hope…")

It was Draco who responded, ("Master this is personal for us and we shall have our vengeance…")

Gaerravar was sad because the two of them were so stubborn, ("If you do this… Then I shall help… Here is a secret that will give you great power…") He told them the true meaning of the Eldunari and the fact that Orwin had a secret stash hidden near his fortress in the lake.

It was night and Jaerden was standing on the banks of Lake Tudeston in the spot where Orwin had hidden the eldunari. _"Letta…" _He said with a clawed hand over the water, he lifted them out of the water two and three at a time. He set them down on the sand. Jaerden touched each one with his mind to show the dragons inside that he was not a threat. Each and everyone decided to bond with him and Jaerden used the spell to bond with them.

As a reward for his service Quintess was made master of Orwin's castle and given all his treasures. He increased the taxes on the people in his domain and lived an extravagant life style. Jaerden had been watching him for the past two weeks. Jaerden was inside the fortress as a servant, he had been sneaking a drug into his food all that time. The drug was part of a spell that would transmute Quintess into a jackass.

Quintess was holding court when Jaerden entered the thrown room, _"Decauth…" _He screamed killing all the soldiers in the room.

"Who are you…" Quintess yelled drawing a sword.

Jaerden just sneered at him, _"Revuan Kith Darmusad…" _Quintess dropped his sword and fell to his knees as he grew a tail and his ears began to stretch into that of an animal's. "I am Jaerden… My master was Orwin Oxheart and Gaerravar Stonecleaver… I have come for my vengeance fool… You are transforming into a jackass… I thought it fitting for you… You will retain your mind as a man, but for the rest of your life will you be stuck in this form and die an animal…" By the time Jaerden finished his speech Quintess was braying like an animal. He ran from the thrown room braying all the way.

("Here me people of this palace…") Jaerden said touching the minds of everyone in the palace. ("My name is Jaerden… and I have come for vengeance… I give you a chance to leave this place or be buried in my wrath…")

Jaerden shook the fortress with his mind and the people began to run and scream for their lives. Gaerravar stood beside Jaerden as he pointed his hands at the fortress and tore it down screaming._ "Jierda…"_

("We have grown powerful…") Draco said.

("Yes we have…")


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24. The Secret War Of Galbatorix And Jaerden

Galbatorix was enraged by the death of Serra and Durnom, then the destruction of Orwin's fortress. Out of fear that the Varden would discover Jaerden's existence he spread the word that Serra and Durnom died overusing magic. Then he had Morzan, Elwoth, and Terron hunt down eveyone who had served Orwin and killed them. Meanwhile he sent the Razac to hunt and kill Jaerden and Draco.

Jaerden was in Teirm in disguise, even though few people knew what he looked liked. He went to visit his mother and brother, who lived in a masion on the east side of Teirm. A butler answered the door and Jaerden introduced himself as the son of a friend who knew Torvan's father. His brother had married a young beautiful woman with brown hair and eyes. She was six months pregnant. They ate and talked for hours and Jaerden gave them all gifts and secretly he blessed them in the ancient language.

After leaving the house Jaerden left the city and headed into the spibe where Draco was waiting and they flew north towards Utgard where they fought two Razac and killed them. Then they turned east and set the city of Gilead on fire. As they burned the city, Hedron and his dragon confronted Jaerden. They fought a terrible duel in the air with magic and swords. Because Draco grew up in the Beors he was in better shape and outflew the older dragon at every turn. When Hedron touched Jaerden's mind it contained a score of voices in it and Jaerden was unnaturally powerful. They sent the dragon into the lake and flew away.

With the death of Hedron there were only seven members of the forsworn left. They was Morzan, Bella, Terron, Philen, Baben, Wealer, and Rone. They all gathered together in the thrown room before Galbatorix to discuss Hedron's death; Durza was there as well.

"I want blood…" Bella screamed.

"Yeah, between Brom and this Jaerden… there won't be any of us left within the next ten years…"

"Jaerden and Draco are mine and mine alone…"

"No… I watched Hedron fight Jaerden and he used every magical spell invented by the forsworn on Jaerden…" Durza said speaking up, "None of you are strong enough to face Jaerden… He is too powerful… even for you Morzan…" He snorted. "He is even more powerful than Vrael… No the only one here who can bring down Orwin's Apprentice is Galbatorix…"

Morzan was pacing back and forth, "Then we all should fight him… He can't fight us all…" As he spoke Durza touched Galbatorix's mind and told him why Morzan's suggestion wouldn't work.

Galbatorix stood up and that is when his fortress was shaken to its foundation by Jaerden's mental shout. He touched all their minds and said in the ancient language; _(Galbatorix… you fake king… It is time we settled our differences… Come out and face me if you dare… I defy you… I am here in spine where you let your first dragon die… Come alone or I will show myself over every city and village…") _He shook the castle again and left their minds.

"No…" Morzan screamed, "It is a trap…"

"Yes… It is… A trap I intend to survive… You all will remain here until I return…"

Galbatorix left the thrown room and went to the dragon hold where Shruiken was sleeping. When he entered the hold one eye popped open. He raised his head as Galbatorix touched his mind. ("We are going hunting…") Shruiken snorted fire from his nostrils as Galbatorix saddled the black dragon and put on his dragon armor. Then Galbatorix dressed in his gold and silver armor and belted his sword Avaless. He jumped onto Shruiken's back and they took off heading due west.

They reached the spine five days later and turned north entering the spine from the same place he did long ago with Jornunvosk. As they flew low to the ground some vines sprung from a tree and began mummifying both Rider and dragon. Shruiken roared as he bit and slashed at the vines, which were unnaturally strong. They wouldn't even burn when he spewed fire on them. Jaerden landed on the saddle behind Galbatorix and plunged his sword into his back. He screamed at the top of his lungs as Jaerden removed a crystal dagger from his belt and stabbed Shruiken with it.

("Forgive me…") He said touching Shruiken's mind. ("…but this is just to slow you down so that I can kill Galbatorix…")

He twisted the blade in Galbatorix's back who focused his mind into one powerful blast and released it. The wave destroyed the vines attacking him and Shruiken, it also threw Jaerden off the saddle to the ground. Shruiken fell to the ground with a thud as the negative energy began to feed on his great strength.

Galbatorix released himself from the saddle and ran towards Jaerden brandishing his sword. The wound he received was already healed. As they fought Draco landed on top of Shruiken pinning him to the ground. Galbatorix had thirty Eldunari bonded to him, that combined with the spells of power should have given him the advantage, but Jaerden had sixty Eldunari and the spells of power. Galbatorix blocked and pushed against Jaerden's sword, then he took his left hand pointed it at Draco and cried.

"_Thrysta Vodhr…"_

A blast of wind struck Draco and threw the dragon nine feet, but he flipped in the air flexing his wings and landed on his feet tearing up the ground with his claws. Jaerden broke the standoff and slashed Galbatorix on the upper right thigh. He rolled onto his back and leapt into the air as Jaerden charged him. Jaerden slid across the ground and stuck his foot up. Jaerden's foot struck in between his legs. Galbatorix grunted and fell to the side, Jaerden kicked him in the ribs and raised his sword.

("Now!") He shouted with his mind. Shruiken spit fire from his mouth at Galbatorix, he caught the flames with his mind. "_Sadar Skulbulba Garjla Brisinger Dathka…" _He yelled in the ancient language.

Jaerden tried to block the flames, ("No don't block it redirect it!") Gaerravar yelled from his Eldunari in the Beor mountains, but it was too late. Jaerden yelped as the flames took hold and began melting his armor and burning his skin.

"Fool boy…" Galbatorix stood up and approached Jaerden with his sword raised. That is when Draco leapt over scopping up Jaerden with his claws. He spun around, struck Galbatorix with his tale and took off into the air. Dazed Galbatorix slowly stood up and watched them fly away. He went over to Shruiken and helped the black dragon remove the negative energy from his body.

("I can't… the pain is too great…") Jaerden said with his mind. Draco was still flying as the pain vibrated across their link. He found a cave on a small mountain near the spine to hide in. Jaerden thrashed on the ground as the fire slowly cooked his flesh.

('Gaerravr listen to me… There is no cure to the burnig curse… but we can ease Jaerden's pain and slow the effects of the curse…")

Gaerravar linked his mind with Draco's and together they held the curse at bay and eased the pain enough for Jaerden to think. He stood up and removed what was left of his armor. His entire chest was burned and so was his hands. His breath came in great heaves as he focused his mind. It took a while but he was able to use one of the eldunari bonded to him to keep the pain at bay and another to hold the curse. Jaerden had to divide his mind between three activities until it became pure instinct. After two hours he was able to function better and used the invisibility spell to sneak into the nearby village of Therinsford to steal a black robe. He enchanted the robe to pull the pain out of his body and keep the burning curse on his skin. That way he could function without worrying about the curse poisoning his blood or cooking his internal organs.

("We should return to the Beors…") Draco said as he placed the black gloves on.

("Yes… but first we must retieve our masters sword…")

("It is too dangerous, but I will help you…")

After scrying Galbatorix who was still in the spine healing Shruiken Jaerden left for Urubaen. He snuck into the palace dressed as a spellcaster and made his way to the treasury where his master's sword was being kept. He took the weapon and started searching for anything useful and that is when the door opened. It was Galbatorix and Morzan.

"You!"

Jaerden sneered and sent all the rider's in the treasury flying at Morzan and Galbatorix. Morzan shoved Galbatorix to the ground as all sixty blades thudded the door and stuck there vibrating. He cried, _Jierda _smashing a hole into the wall of the treasury and ran down the hall and punched through another wall. He ran through the garden where Draco was waiting and off they took.

It was life and death race in the air as Draco flew along the edge of the hadarac desert with Galbatorix and five of the seven members of the forsworn chasing them. Draco was a fast flyer especially with all the boosts of energy Jaerden was giving him. Twice the forsworn stopped to rest while Draco flew on without needing a break. Once they entered the Beors Jaerden and Draco were safe.

Galbatorix and the forsworn searched for the next two weeks as a group he didn't want them to separate or Draco could ambush one of them. It was Shruiken who put the idea in Galbatorix's head that Jaerden wouldn't survive the burning curse, so they left the beors. As they flew away Jaerden and Draco stood on the cliff of a mountain watching them leave.

("You could have been killed…") Gaerravar said when they returned to the alcove.

Jaerden grunted, ("Why didn't you or Orwin teach us about the burning curse…") Jaerden asked in anger.

("Orwin wanted to teach it to you… I argued that it would shame the honor he was trying to rebuild if he did… Vrael's predecessor invented the burning curse… When Vrael became leader of the Varden he forbade the use of the curse… Orwin convinced me to teach it to the two of you as we retured home, but Morzan was waiting for us… In my rage and anguish of loosing my body I never mentioned it…")

Jaerden sighed and dropped to the ground, he opened his robe to look at his body. The curse was slowly crossing his skin covering half his back. His entire right arm, neck, and half of his stomach was burnt flesh. There was no pain, but he could do was watch as the curse mutilated his body.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25. Morzan's Hunt

After Jaerden life returned to normal, partially for Morzan, Brom was a constent thorn in the side of the forsworn. There was a failed attempt to kill Torren, although Brom managed to kill Torren's dragon. He escaped via the waste tunnel in Nardan. When Torren's dragon died, he killed himself with magic.

Morzan went on a bloody hunt for Brom searching the wild from the back of his dragon. Anyone suspected of being associated with Brom was immediately executed. Morzan burned villages, killed, and tortured people in his never ending pursuit of Brom. Morzan disguised himself with magic and traveled south to surda in an attempt to locate Brom or kill King Larkin. He left his dragon in Urubaen and traveled across the land on horse back. It took three months of traveling on Horse back to reach Surda.

Once in Surda he disguised himself as a nobleman of Surda coming fron Cithri. He entered the bustling city ignoring the merchants trying to convince him to buy their wheres. Morzan rented a room at the grean acorn inn. He scryed the city for Brom, after spending several weeks familiarizing himself with the city streets. When he was convinced that Brom wasn't in the city Morzan settled for the idea of killing King Larkin.

The king was holding a ball for the birth of his son Prince Larkin the Third. All the nobles were in attendance including an elf who Morzan learned was named Arya and was an ambassador for the elves. There was also a dwarf there representing his race. Morzan was dancing with a blonde haired woman across the floor.

("Enough is enough!") He threw the woman to the floor drawing looks from the ballroom guests. He snapped the nek of a guard and threw his sword at the king. Guided by magic the weapon spun through the air and planted itself in the king's chest. as he hit the floor the women in the ballroom screamed. Morzan pointed a clawed hand at Arya, she left her feet and hit the wall as the people started running for the exits.

"Tell Brom to come and face me… I await him in Utgard if he dares…" He released Arya and let her hit the floor; she landed on her feet. As the guards rushed him Morzan threw back his head laughing and vanished in a great explosion. the blast threw all the soldiers to the ground.

"You can't do it its trap…" Arya said to Brom three days later. A funeral for King Larkin was held earlier that day. His wife queen Ophela ruled in his stead.

"I can't let Morzan get away with this… It is time we sttled this…"

Arya sighed, "What about your plan… You told me that you were saving Morzan for last… You said that you wanted him to always fear the day that you and he would finally meet one another… Taunt him with the idea that despite his actions he can't goad into action…"

Brom smiled, "You have a clever tongue Arya Svit-Kona…"

Morzan had been in Utgard for the past week, his red dragon was there with him. He smiled when he felt Brom's presence in his mind.

("Hello Morzan…")

He grunted, ('Where are you Brom Knocker?")

("Close enough to talk with you… You killed King Larkin… So what his wife rules in his stead and his son grows strong… He will make a fine King…")

("Come to me you coward… Come and face me or I will burn Kuasta to the ground…")

He heard Brom laughing in his mind, ("Go ahead… my family has long been left the city for other parts…") He lied.

("Then I will burn Borromeo castle to the ground…")

("Come now Morzan… Do you think that cursed beast could handle the task alone even with you protecting him… No I don't think you will not besides Galbatorix won't allow his favorite dog to do so…") Morzan ground his teeth. ("No Morzan if you try that stunt again you will die in Surda I have made sure of that… When we face each other,it will be on my terms not yours… Now, first of the forsworn go back home to your master… I am through with you for the time being…")

Morzan raised his head to the sky and roared, the sound coming from his mouth was that of a dragon's. He jumped onto his dragons back and they flew up and down the spine searching for any sign of Brom and found none.

"You could have been killed…" Galbatorix yelled when Morzan returned to Urubaen.

"It was worth it…" The two of them sat in a private room eating lunch together.

"Be patient when my enemies gather together then we can kill them all at once…"

"Yes and in the meantime Brom wonders up and down through the empire killing your servants…" Galbatorix had no reply, "Show me the secret of the eldunar… Give me the power to destroy Brom… His existence naws at my very soul…"

"When I have learned all there is to know I will…"

"You are stalling! Why?"

Galbatorix put his fork down and wiped his mouth, "I have my reasons… At any rate you are to blame for all the problems Brom is causing us… If you had killed him during the battle of Doru Arabea we would be having these problems…"

Morzan stood up, 'I think I have lost my appetite…" Galbatorix just watched him walk out and continued eating his meal. Morzan wondered through Urubaen until he found himself in the dragon hold with his dragon. The dragon licked him and turned one eye towards him.

He sighed, ("I wish you could talk my friend I need your advice…")

A powerful mind touched Morzan's, ("I am here my friend… I was able to resist the curse of the wild dragons…")

Tears swelled in Morzan's eyes because the voice not only sounded like his dragon's it came from him as well. ("Can it be true…")

A dark shadow eclipsed Morzan, accompanied by the gurgled laugh that only a dragon could produce. ("You should have seen your face Morzan… Ahhhh!")

He spun around drawing his sword, then he spit on the floor between Shruiken's front legs and began saddling his dragon who growled at the black dragon. ("One day you will go to far…") Morzan said. He continued laughing covering his snout with his front claws.

Shruiken yawned, ("And what… I bare Galbatorix as a rider…") He said standing to his full height.

("Your time will come…")

("Yes, but you won't be here to see it…")

Morzan climbed up the side of his dragon and off they took.

Morzan went to his fortress in order to prepare for the next time he encountered Brom. It would be an epic battle that would push Morzan and brom to the limits of their abilities, but it would be a battle long in coming.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26. Over the Next Seventy-Five Years

Galbatorix ruled the better part of Alagaesia for the next one hundred years. Brom and the Varden always threatened his rule. He spent most of his time trying to master his eldunari or making plans to conquer the dwarves. His plans involved using the Urgals to overthrow the Varden and the dwarves since he figured that the Varden were hiding somewhere in the Beor Mountains. Galbatorix could weaken the urgals and destroy his enemies at the same time. Then when the urgals were of no further use to him he would destroy them at his leisure.

The elves were another problem, because the elves were magic. It ran through their viens, not only that Galbatorix had no idea how to locate their cities. He was tempted to send his army into the forest blindly, but that wasn't a ggod idea as Du Weldunvarden was more dangerous than the spine.

("Maybe if I captured one of the dwarves they could tell me where the elven cities are…") He thought to himself.

During the next thirty years Galbatorix made preparations to trick the Urgals into his service and studying the scrolls for the location of the Rock of Kuthian. It was during this time that he cast a spell similar to the banishing of the names on Gaerravar. The spell worked, but only partially. Anyone who had ever been personally connected to Gaerravar, like all of the forsworn could still say the dragon's name. Other than that, no one else could say the dragon's name.

("Is that all…") Galbatorix asked to Shruiken. It was fifty years from the day after he had killed Vrael and became king.

("All I am aware of…") The dragon said, Shruiken was in his armor ready to fly off.

("You are lying…") Galbatorix pressed him until Shruiken couldn't take it anymore.

("There is a guardian protecting the rock…") he finally admitted.

("Who is he…")

("The king of all werecats…")

Because of Shruiken Galbatorix believed he was able to overcome the guardian. After all Galbatorix now had over fifty eldunari bonded to him. He had sent all the forsworn on different missions that involved his future plans in conquering the rest of Alagaesia.

They left Urubaen at high noon under the invisibility spell, he didn't want anyone to know that he had left his fortress.

Jaerden was still alive because of the eldunari he was bonded too and his enchanted robes. He was in his alcove reading a scroll when a powerful mind touched his.

("You must be Oromis…")

There was a long space of silence, ("Yes…")

Jaerden smirked, ("And how did you pierce the spells of my Alcove to speak with me…")

Oromis laughed, ("The spells your master put up are designed to keep all threats out… I am no threat to you or Draco…")

Jaerden smiled rolling up the scroll, ("And what can I do for you…")

There was another pause, ("Well I contacted you like this to ask if you and Draco would join me in Du Weldunvarden… ")

Jaerden answered immediately, ("I am sorry Draco and I have grown use to our solitude and besides… When your fellow elves find out who tutored us they will not take kindly to our presence…")

('I think you are wrong, but Glaedr and I will respect your decision and we will tell no one of your existence…")

("We appreciate that…")

Oromis sighed, ("Can you confirm something for me… It is about Galbatorix's astounding power… It is growing every year… does it have something to do with the dragon's eldunari?")

('Yes it does… All the eldunari kept in Urubaen… Galbatorix has claimed them… He has created a spell that allows him to bond with them…")

('I see… You have some of Eldunari of your own don't you…")

Jaerden smiled, ("Yes, but the eldunari bonded to me have agreed to be bonded to me… they are not slaves like the ones Galbatorix has…")

("We are well met Jaerden Mountain Lord…")

("We are well met Oromis the Morning Sage…")

Five weeks later Jaerden sat on the cliff of a mountain overlooking the hadarac desert. Draco was just returning with a deer he caught at the base of the mountain. While he gorged himself on the deer Jaerden was scrying the desert, when he spotted Galbatorix flying across the desert.

('What do you think he is doing…") Draco asked swallowing the last piece of meat.

("I do not know… Lets follow him…")

Jaerden used magic to saddle Draco and they took off following them from a distance. They followed Galbatorix to a mountain in the center of the desert. ("I know this place…") Draco said, ("It is a distant dream in my mind...") They watched from afar as Shruiken landed at the base of a mountain. They were about to walk up the mountain, but an elderly looking man with catlike eyes barred the way.

"I know who you are oath breaker…" The old man said, "Leave now and I shall spare your life…"

Galbatorix laughed, "I am the immortal king of Alagaesia… The lord of the Broddering kingdom and all that the star Aiedel touches… Be gone pathetic creature…"

"Fool… it is because of Shruiken that I still bandy words with thee… Leave now or die…"

Galbatorix unsheathed his sword and leapt at the man who blocked his sword with a simple wooden staff. To Galbatorix's shock the staff didn't even dent. The old man spun around and whacked Galbatorix in the side of the head. He then spun again sweeping his legs and kicked him in the ribs. Galbatorix swung for his legs, but the old man back flipped and landed on his feet twirling his weapon from side to side with a smile.

Galbatorix stood up reciting the spells of power under his breath, ("Now Shruiken… Give me your fire…") In response the black dragon spit a stream of fire towards Galbatorix's out stretched hand. He recited the burning curse and hurled the cursed flames at the white haired man. He simply raised his hand and caught the cursed flames. His hand and forearm began to char up and become ash like. Galbatorix watched as the werecat closed his hand around the flames. When he opened his hand it was normal and his forearm began to heal.

("That is impossible…") Galbatorix said to Shruiken.

("Let us leave this place… He is toying with you… You are no match for him…")

Galbatorix grunted, "I have come a long way and I shall not be denied…"

He charged the man again this time he was able to match his speed twisting from one extreme to the next in their deadly melee, but no matter how inventive he was, Galbatorix could not break the old man's defences. He received a whack across the back, one in the gut, another across the face. Galbatorix's nose leaked a steady stream of blood. He healed it with a quick spell and tried to attack the werecat's mind which was a fortress. Galbatorix did manage to cut the werecat on the upper shoulder, but his smile became a frown when the wound immediately healed.

("I have had enough of this…") He leapt up into a backwards flip the whole time reciting a lengthy spell. When he landed Galbatorix stuck out his hand, an eldunari materialized in front of his hand and he threw it at the werecat. There was an explosion that tore up the ground. Galbatorix smirked at his presumed victory, but it was as if time had stopped. The flames from the exploding eldunari retracted and the blue eldunari came back together whole again.

The werecat said something to the dragon inside and it vanished after a short spell. "You are disgusting… An animal… You are lower than an animal Galbatorix…" He pointed his hand at Galbatorix crying, _"Thrysta Vodhr Letta de Gorren…"_

Galbatorix was struck by a blast of wind with the strength of a tornado. He was slammed into the side of the mountain, then the wind blasted him up into the air and slammed him into the ground. Galbatorix received several broken bones, but he was still alive. As the werecat walked towards him the end of his staff grew a sharp point and that is when Shruiken leapt in front of the werecat growling.

("If you touch him… I will kill you werecat…") he said projecting his thoughts.

("Do not interviene dragon… I have no wish to battle thee…")

("Your fight is with me as well…") Shruiken would have allowed the werecat to kill Galbatorix, but the twisted bond they shared forced shruiken to action.

The werecat threw down his staff and his body began to bulge and grow hair. His head rounded into that of a lion like creature. He sprouted a short tail and his hands and feet became paws. Now standing before Shruiken was a large cat the size of a wolf of the beor mountains. The werecat roared and the sound of his voice shook the mountain.

Werecat and dragon leapt at each other and tussled back and forth on the ground. When they seprated Shruiken spewed fire at the cat, but his eyes glowed and the fire whipped around splashing across the side of the mountain. They charged each other again, biting and clawing at each other. shruiken was bigger than the werecat, but the cat's strength was greater. He left bloody gashes in Shruiken's wings. Every wound Shruiken gave the werecat immediately healed as if it never happened.

("Shruiken…") Galbatorix said trying to sit up, ("We are… we are out… matched… let us leave…") He feinted again.

Shruiken grabbed the werecat with his own magic and threw it up the mountain path. Shruiken opened his wings and flipped, he landed with a thud beside Galbatorix. He scooped him up in his claws and fled the mountain. As the black dragon flew away with Galbatorix in his claws the werecat walked back to the base of the mountain. As he did he became a man again and stood watching as they retreated from his mountain.

Galbatorix awoke in his private suit a week later, all his wounds had been healed and Durza was standing over him.

"Where am I…"

"Urubaen…If not for Shruiken… you would be dead… He told me about the werecat… I always assumed the werecats had a king cat, but I never was able to confirm it… You are lucky to be alive…"

Galbatorix ignored him, ("I need more power…") He thought to himself, he looked at Durza, "Is it possible to control all magic in the world…"

Durza hunched his shoulders, "In theory… Legends say that the gray folk created the ancient language, they have given it a name… One name that allows a person to summone and control magic in any form, but no one has ever discovered such a word…"

Galbatorix got up and got dressed, "I shall be the first…"

For the next fifty years Galbatorix devoted most of his time to his eldunari or collecting every ancient scroll he could lay his hands on in an attempt to learn the true name of the ancient language.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27. Secrets Of The Dragons

Jaerden stared in disbelief of the battle he had just witnessed. As Shruiken fled with Galbatorix in his claws he and Draco decided to attack. Draco was in the air and was about to strike when the voices of thousand powerful ancient minds touched them. They asked them to come to the mountain at first Jaerden resisted and it took Draco to convince him to obey.

When they landed the old man they saw fight Galbatorix was waiting. _"Welcome Jaerden and Draco… My name is Paneer half paw…" _He was missing two fingers on his right hand. _"I am the king of all werecats and the guardian of this mountain the rock of Kuthian… Follow me…"_

Paneer led Jaerden and Draco into the mountains, when they reached the summit it leveled into a flat space with twelve stone pillars evenly spaced. There was a bolder that covered the mouth of the cave.

He pointed at the bolder, _("The ancient ones wish to speak with you… Do the two of you know your true names…")_

_("Yes we do…")_ They said at the same time.

_("Speak your true names and the door will open to you…")_

Dragon and Rider walked reverently up to the bolder and recited their names to the bolder. The door shifted like muddy water or a potter molding clay and the bolder became two doors. The doors had two dragons on the front, they opened to a glittering cave of Eldunari inside.

They entered the cave which possessed eldunari of every size and color sitting in a stone nest. At the back of the cave were three eldunari. The eldunari in the center was gold in color, the one on the right was green and the one on the left was red. They each projected a noble dragon and when the dragons spoke they spoke as one.

_('Welcome noble dragon and rider… Welcome to the rock of kuthian…") _Unable to speak both Jaerden and Draco bowed to noble apparitions. _("We have asked you here, because our rage is growing at the oath breaker who has slaughtered our race and broken the races three… His rule will come to an end… at the hands of the son of a rider…"_

Jaerden gasped, _"How is that possible there are no more riders… and the ones left are the forsworn…"_

The dragons roared, _("The son of a rider shall be the downfall of Galbatorix… His dragon will mother the future of our race… We ask you that when his power is insuffient… Bring him to us that he may stand an equal to Galbatorix…")_

_Jaerden bowed his head again, ('We shall do you as you ask…")_

That is when Draco spoke up, _("How shall we know the boy… and where shall he be a rider… Galbatorix destroyed all the eggs but, mine…")_

_("He possess three eggs and one of them is female… Go now and wait… With the power of our minds we shall make all these things be…")_

When Draco and Jaerden emerged from the cave Paneer was waiting for them. He blessed them in the ancient language and allowed them to leave the mountain.

("Do we tell Oromis…") Jaerden asked as he sat on the ground in their alcove.

("No… Oromis is sick like us… besides I think the ancient dragons ment that prophecy for us…") Draco said.

Jaerden looked at him, ("How do you know…")

("My instincts… so we prepare for the future… Galbatorix has enemies everywhere… most of them he has no idea exist or that they fight against him… You and I are included in that number… He probably thinks you are dead by now and that I am too afraid to leave these mountains…")

A month later a pudgy woman and a cat was traveling through the Beors. ("I think Teirm is a nice place to be… What do you think…") Angela said to Solembum as they made camp. The werecat didn't answer, ("Yes Teirm is the place… many people pass through Teirm for one reason or another so that is the place to be…") Solembum began sniffing the air and became a boy. When he did Angela threw him his breeches, ('What is it…")

("We are not alone…")

She hunched her shoulders and followed the werecat through the mountain passess. They kept walking until they came to a mountain and walked up the ancient paths that had been forgotten by even the dwarves. They came upon an alcove hidden by many spells and illusions, but Angela and Solembum managed to circumvent the wards. When they entered the alcove Angela found a sand colored blade at her throat.

"Well… my stars… A rider hiding in the beors… I am fortunate… aren't I…"

"That depends witch… On wether or not you serve Galbatorix…" Jaerden said.

"Pish posh… I wouldn't serve Galbatorix even if he gave me the legendary thudahl mushrooms of Doru Araebu…"

Jaerden raised an eyebrow as Draco addressed his mind, he looked back at the dragon and noticed the werecat rubbing up beside Draco's leg. He sighed and lowered his sword, 'I will let you live if you sware never to tell anyone you met or know about me…"

"Of course… I like secrets… especially the good ones…"

("Would the two of care to spend the night in our alcove… Jaerden and I don't get a lot company as you can imagine…")

"Certainly…" she beamed.

They dined on carrots, roasted mushrooms, and Nagra meat. When they were done Angela offered Jaerden some snap weed to smoke. They sat back puffing on the rolled up weed.

"So you would join someone for thudahl shrooms…"

Angela started laughing, "If they intentions were good… then yes…"

"How did you find us…"

"It wasn't me it was Solembum… He picked up your scent or the magic that protects this place… He never answered my question so I am guessing…" Angela and Jaerden looked at both werecat and dragon. Solembum sat in the hollow of Dracos' back both were asleep. The next day Angela saddled her donkey then she and Solembum left. Jaerden insisted on escorting them to the hadarac desert.

As galbatorix mastered his eldunari, plotted the downfalls of the Varden, the dwarves, and the Urgals; he searched for the true name to the ancient language to gain ultimate power. While he did all these things the ancient dragons used their power to affect destiny and fate itself in order to bring about Galbatorix's downfall and the return of their race the dragons.


	28. Chapter 28

Epilogue

Part 1. Morzan and Selena

Brom had struck again killing the governor of Narda and as usual Morzan was sent to hunt for Brom. Seventy-eight years had passed since the wrydfel. There were only five members of the forsworn left as Baben died trying to protect the governor. His dragon went mad without Baben to control the beast so it had to be killed. It was Morzan who slew the poor animal for that all he was.

Morzan was in Ceunon as the last reliable report placed Brom in the city. Morzan walked up the street with his red cape billowing. He entered an inn called the Twin Oaks, it was full of boisterous people, but when Morzan entered, it grew extremely quiet. He walked up to the bar, his heavy boots was the only sound being made now.

"A bottle of wine bar keep…" He looked around the room, "and a free round of drinks on the house…" The people cheered as the bartender hustled to have the orders filled. He personally brought Morzan a bottle. "I don't need a glass…"

'Yes my lord…"

He pulled a scroll from his belt, "Did this man rent a room here…"

The bartender swallowed hard, "Yes sir… He paid in gold… Um Two men… if you want to call them that are upstairs already…"

Morzan grunted and went up the stairs two at a time, eight soldiers were standing in the hall as someone was rooting through the roorm. 'You may leave…" The soldiers saluted and scurried off, when Morzan entered the roon two Razac were there. Their parents had been killed by Brom and Arya.

They clicked as they turned to face him hands dropping to their swords. "Morzan…"

"What are you two doing here?"

"Galbatorix said to hunt the dragonlessss rider… so we will…"

Morzan walked around the room, "Did you find anything?"

"Only his smell…"

After a throrough search Morzan walked back down to the common room and looked out over the sea of people. He was about to keep walking when the crowd parted and Morzan gasped. Sitting in the corner was a dark haired woman being harrased by three soldiers. What caught Morzan's attention was the fact the woman looked like his long lost love Selena. He hadn't thought of his beloved in decades.

Thoughts of conspiracy raced through his mind, as he considered the possibility that Brom transmutted this woman to look like his Selena. He reached his mind out and touched her mind. She flinched when he touched her and Morzan withdrew, from that brief contact he could tell she couldn't use magic nor was she trained in blocking people from her mind. She had the potential to master mind touch. Drawn to her Morzan made his way across the room, when he got close the soldiers made a quiet exit.

"What is your name woman…"

She looked up into his eyes and without a hint of fear, she said; "Selena…" He gasped and reach out to her mind to check again if she was under some type of spell. She wasn't, "What are you looking for?" She asked rubbing her temples.

"I cry your pardon… May I join you?"

"Yes…"

He looked at her in wonder; the resemblance was astounding. "Do you know who I am…"

"You are Morzan… One of the forsworn…"

'Where are you from?"

"A small village in Palancar Valley…"

He laughed, "I am sorry… It is well known that all the people from that region are descendents of Old King Palancar…"

She smiled, "I thought they called him Palancar the Mad…"

He smiled, "That they did…" He waved at the bar keep for his wine and two glasses. "So let me guess farm girl left home to see the world…"

"Something like that… My family wished me to marry a man I didn't love… So I left…"

"What was the man's name…"

She sighed, "Sloan…" She said the name as if someone forced her to eat sawdust.

"I admire your courage… Not too many women would have the heart to leave their home like that…" He said as the bartender bought the wine and the glasses. "Have you eaten?"

She sighed, "Not yet… I was hoping to find work as a cook…"

"Bar keep bring us a spread of your finest food…" Morzan removed a coin bag from his belt and gave the man ten gold crowns.

They drank, ate, and talked about politics of court, beliefs and why Selena didn't want to marry the man Sloan.

"This Sloan sounds like a boar of a man…"

She laughed, "Boar is too good of an animal… Maybe weazle describes him better…" Selena said chuckling.

"Did you leave before or after the wedding negotiations…"

"I left while he was making an overture to my brother… Our parents are dead and they had betrothed me to Sloan when I was just five years old … I was afraid my brother would say yes…"

She yawned, 'Come with me I will have a room prepared for you in the palace…"

She could hardly refuse as Selena was deeply attracted to Morzan and at the same time she was afraid of what he wanted in return for his kindness. They walked up the street laughing and talking, it rreminded him of Selena and how forward she was even as a rider. As they made their way to the palace they stopped in talor to have Selena fitted for some new clothes.

"I can't…"

He placed a finger over her lips, "A beauty like you should have the best…"

She pulled him aside and said so that only he could hear her, "I am not that kind of girl…"

Morzan threw back his head and laughed, "I find you charming and alluring even if you are a bit green and naïve… Believe me when I say that I can have any woman I wished in the Kings court and it wouldn't cost me a talent…"

She raised an eyebrow, "I don't know whether to slap you or leave you where you stand…"

"I like feisty women… so slap me…"

She bit her lip and quick as flash of lightening she struck him, then he grabbed her and kissed her on the lips. Selena had never been kissed she staggered and Morzan helped her to sit.

After they made their purchases they continued on to the palace. It was night time and many people were bedding down for the night. Morzan escorted her to a large suit, when she entered the room he bolted the door.

"Please don't…" She said as he crossed the floor and stood in front of her.

'Why are you afraid?"

"Yes… I have never been with a man before…"

"I have been with many women, but you are the first to make me feel like this in a long time… I like this feeling and I want you in my bed and at my side… everywhere I go… I want you there…" He caressed her face ad stroked her hair.

"If you want e to leave then say so…"

She hesitated and didn't resist the touch of his hands in private places. She reached up and kissed him and their love affair began that night.

She ran her fingure across a scar on his chest, "How did you get this one…"

He smiled taking her hand and kissing it, "My old friend Brom… He gave me that with my own sword no less…"

"Some friend I would hate to see your enemies…"

Morzan laughed in his booming voice, "Most of my enemies are dead... As for Brom... He and I were friends… When I joined Galbatorix…" He hesitated, "His dragon died at my hands… and ever since he has hated me… One day we will face each other… I will kil him or he will kill me…"

"Who was she?" Selena asked changing the conversation.

He looked at her, but Selena kept her eyes down. 'She who?"

"The woman you were making love too just now… At dinner you looked at me as if I was some long lost love… and at times when we were wrapped up in each other you had a distant look…"

Morzan sighed and sat up in bed, then he turned and looked at Selena. "You have a keen mind… Like you her name was Selena… You look just like her… She was a rider and like my dragon hers was red… my dragon is male and hers was female… Our dragons were mates and we were lovers... She was killed by a dragon's whose mind was under the control of dark wizard... It has been many decades since I thought of her. When I saw you... I thought you were a spy sent by Brom and he made you look like Selena to torment me..."

"So why did you join the forsworn..."

He kissed her on the cheek, "That is a story for another time..." They lay in each others arms until they both fell asleep.

The next day Morzan took Selena to the dragon hold after they ate breakfast in her suit. A red dragon lay with his head on a bed of hay, but when Morzan entered the dragon hold he sat up switching his tail. When the dragon saw Selena he sniffed the air and stuck out his tongue licking her. she responded by scratching his jaw.

"He is the most magnificent creature I have ever seen..."

"He likes you..."

"What is his name..." When Morzan didn't answer she turned to find him sitting on an overturned bucket with his face in his hands. She cautiously walked up to him and raised his head by his chin. Morzans eyes streamed rivers of tears.

"His name was taken from him..."

"I don't understand..."

He stood up and turned his back to her, "After the forsworn defeated the order the wild dragons gathered together... they used their power to curse the forsworn dragons... It is called the banishing of the names... You see dragons can talk with their minds like you can with your mouth..." He sighed at the expression on her face and walked up to Selena placing his hands on her head. With his mind Morzan showed Selena every thought and word his dragon ever shared with him. "Now do you understand..."

"I do... So why noy give him a new name..."

Morzan sighed, "Try it..."

She looked at the dragon which was rubbing its snout against her sleeve. She beamed, "I know..." Selena could see the name in her mind very clearly, but when she tried to voice it the words were snatched from her mouth and mind by some unseen force. "I name you..." Puzzled she tried to remember the name and chose a new one. "Okay I name you..."

"See what I mean..."

The next day Selena screamed at the top of her lungs riding behind Morzan on his dragon. Her hair whipped in the wind as she rode behind him. She screamed louder when Morzan had the red dragon turn upside down. she showed no fear and pointed her hands down to the ground. When they arrived at his fortress Morzan ordered his servants to attend to her every need.

"Tell me about the riders... The forsworn... Tell me everything..."

He smiled and told Selena how the dragon wars started with a terrible mistake on the part of an elf and an elf named Eragon. "Eragon... That is a beautiful name..."

"And one that has never been bestowed upon a human and one hardly ever used by the elves..."

He told her how the riders were started of their leaders and all their accomplishments. Then

He told the tale of how he and Brom became friends and Galbatorix's rise to power. Then he described the forsworn and why each of the swore to Galbatorix. His word were eloquent and Selena was enchanted by the promises of the return of the riders and riches that would flow throughout Alagaesia.

"And you can be apart of it all Selena… You can help…"

"How?" She asked in excitement.

The answer to her question came the next morning as Morzan began teaching Selena how to use various weapons like the rapier, the hand crossbow, daggers, and throwing darts. He also taught her hand to hand combat and how to take down men bigger and stronger than her. Selena became adapt at breaking into peoples minds, so much so that she often gave Morzan a headache after a mind duel. She learned rudimentary magic and the basics of casting spells. After eight months of intense training Selena could speak the ancient language fluently, manipulate fire, light, heat, water without tiring herself too much. She could also kill using eight of the twelve words of death Morzan taught her. Selena was also an uncanny swordswoman and very athletic.

One morning she met him in the courtyard with twelve of his best swordsman. "I have ordered them to kill you… Defend yourself… If you can…"

Before the men could surround her Selena reached into their minds and healed them of all their fears, doubts, and worries. A complete feeling of peace and calm came over them. As they stood staring like a bunch of moonstruck ninnies in love, Selena took her sword and slit their throats.

Morzan was clapping his hands, "Well done…"

She threw the sword and it buried itself in the door to the courtyard, "What have you made me…"

He smiled, "A weapon… My weapon…" In a kinder voice he said; "The forsworn would use you to get to me… There are only five of us left… and one is always trying to best the other…"

"You said that you were Galbatorix's favorite…"

"I am, but still you must be able to defend yourself…"

The day finally came when Morzan took Selena to Galbatorix's court. All the men of court became enamoured with her beauty and charms. Especially the three remaining males of the forsworn, Wealer tried to breach Selena's mind, he received a splitting headache for his foolishness.

"You trained the winch well Morzan…" He said rubbing the side of his head.

Galbatorix pulled Morzan aside, "I consider you my only friend… So I say this to you… Get rid of that woman… She will only cause you grief… Remember Melina…"

Morzan smiled, "I do… She will be bate to draw Brom out…"

Galbatorix raised an eyebrow, "I see, but do you trust her…"

"I trust the love she has for me, because it has blinded her… and she is good in bed..."

"She bares a striking resemblence to a long dead rider…"

"Yes then there is that…"

Galbatorix placed a hand on his shoulder, "I have a mission for you my friend… There are traitors in the house of Belatona… Find them and destroy them…"

The mission Galbatorix gave Morzan became Selena's mission. She traveled across the land disguised as the daughter of the earl of kan. Transmutation was beyond Selena's abilities, so her spell gave the illusion of a young woman in her early teens. To make the sceme look real she traveled with twenty hired soldiers and an entourage of servants. They all knew there parts and had sworn in the ancient language to help Selena pull it off. Once in Belatona Xastell introduced her to high society of Belatona. Xastell was aware of her true identity and helped her pull off her masquerade. It took two days but Selena found the traitor, a man by the name of Garth. He was a spy for the Varden and had been trained by Brom. He was the son of a nobleman from King Abernost's court trying to do his part in order to resist Galbatorix.

The moon cast a pale light over the city of Belatona and the only people up during that time was the city guard, thieves, and Selena. She was in her suit dressing in a black and brown suit fit for an assassin. She wore leggings like a man, with bracers over her lower legs. Studded arm bands over her wrists. A leather sleevless vest with a hood covered a browm shirt and a black scarf covered her mouth and nose. Her rapier was strapped across her back a dagger hidden in her guantlet. A small hand crossbow was dangling from her hip. Thusly dressed she climbed out of the window a thousand feet in the air. The studded belt on her waist was given to her by Morzan and the jewel contained a vast amount of energy she could draw from. Like a cat she leapt from roof to roof drawn to the magical mark she left on Garth so that she could follow him no matter where he went.

The spell Selena marked Garth with brought her to a warehouse on the east side of Belatona used to store grain. The barn was owned by Garth. Garth was making plans with eight other men to assassinate King Xastell. Selena listened from fifty feet in the air crouched on a bean like a bird. She couldn't tell if any of them could use magic, but it didn't matter because Morzan taught her one of the secret wards used by the forsworn. She closed her eyes and jumped down from her perch drawing her sword. Blood splattered across her vest and face as she decapitated one of the men. Two men charged her, but Selena was too fast for them, as she clipped the legs of one man and rolled on the ground stabbing the second. From her back Selena jumped to her feet and leapt up again onto the neck and shoulders of the third man. She broke his neck with her knees. Garth tried to run, but Selena used her crossbow and shot him in the knee. That is when she was tackled by a large burly man who snatched her hood and scarf off.

He gasped, "It's a woman!"

She smiled, _"Thrysta Vodhr…" _She yelled.

A blast of air lifted him off her and slammed him into the ceiling breaking the beam and his back. As he was coming back down Selena rolled out of the way and hit the floor head first. The three remaining men tried to kill her, but within the span of nine minutes all three lay dead at her feet. Selena walked up to Garth and kicked him so that he was now lying on his back. She bent down and grabbed the man by his neck. His face twisted because despite her petite size Selena hoisted him into the air and from his mind she took all the information he had about Brom and the Varden. Then she broke his neck and dropped the body. With the success of her first mission Selena quickly gained a reputation and was known as the black hand. A mountain of bodies piled up with every mission Morzan sent her on.

It was said of the black hand;

Whereever the hand of Morzan went death was sure to follow…

Many years passed like this then Morzan noticed something strange about Selena, "Are you ill… Has someoe poisoned you?"

She wiped her mouth after throwing up, "I think I am pregnant…"

Morzan's face twisted as he placed his hand on her stomach and reached out with his mind. He felt Selena's radiant life force dwarfing a smaller one that was undifined. He snatched her by the arm and took her to a secret passageway only used by him and Galbatorix. The entered the dragon hold and he whisked her off to his fortress. As soon as he got there, Morzan placed down powerful wards over his castle, then he assigned his most trusted servants to attend to Selena. Nine months later she gave birth to a son she named Murtagh.

"My Lord…" A terrified man entered his study.

'What is it…"

He swallowed hard, "Galbatorix is here…"

They met in private in Morzan's thrown room, Galbatorix sat on Morzan's thrown, "I here congradulations are in order… You are a father…"

He sneered, "Yes…"

"If the others find out…" Galbatorix smiled, "You have always been my favorite my friend… I will ensure that they never learn of his existence…"

"Brom we can't loose you…" Arya said.

"I agree with Arya…" Ajihad said. Ajihad was second in command to Danor who was the present leader of the Varden. They were in Aberon, Danor was in Tronjheim preparing for an ambush of one of the forsworn. Glenwig and Faolin had gone back to Ellesmera to secure a supply of Tunvenar's Nector for the Varden.

"Only I can hunt down this Black Hand… Morzan is using this person to try and draw me out…"

"Then maybe I can come with you…" Arya said.

Brom placed a hand on her shoulder, "No I need you to return to Tronjheim, both you and Ajihad to help Danor with his plan…"

"How long will you be gone…" Ajihad asked.

"I don't know years maybe… This Black Hand is very illusive…"

Brom traveled for the next two searching, mainly to throw Morzan off. He had every intention of spying out Morzan's fortress. During the three years of his travels Brom received word that Ajihad almost killed Durza, Danor was dead, and the Varden had succeeded in killing Wealer. Brom spent six months spying on Morzan's fortress looking for a weakness in his wards. He found several and learned that the black hand was a women who visited the fortress every six months. Brom left the fortress and spent the next three months plotting to poison Bella's dragon. In the fourth month he succeeded in killing the dragon and made his way up the boat to Teirm. From Teirm Brom made his way to Morzan's fortress just as the Black Hand returned. He snuck into the fortress disguised as a gardener.

Selena spent as much time as she could with her son Murtagh, who nearly died when Morzan threw his sword at him. The boys back was laid open, but a healer was able to save his life. Selena was a mission at the time. It was night and she was in her garden planting her favorite flowers. She was wearing her assassin's clothes with her hood down. Selena smiled to herself sensing the man she knew would come for her one day.

"Hello Brom… I was wondering when you would show up…" Selena was on her knees and stood up to face Brom. When she turned to face him, Brom gasped taken by her beauty. 'So are we going to kill me or not…"

"You look like…"

"The Rider Selena… The one Morzan loved…"

"He told you…"

"Yes… He told me many things…" She took a step towards Brom. Selena turned her head to the side, "Did you love her as well…"

"As a friend… You are more beautiful than she was…" They both still had their swords in hand.

"Do you know what it is to be compared to someone long dead… and told you will never measure up and to be used…"

"I know what it is to be used by Morzan…"

She howled after placing a spell up so that no one could here them talk or fight. She charged Brom swinging left then right. She leapt into the air spinning around with her blade horizontal to her breasts. Selena landed trying to force Brom to kill her, but Brom remained on the defensive. They locked swords and stared at each other.

"Maybe if I kill you Morzan will love me again…" She managed to scratch him on the cheek, Brom snarled and swept her feet from under her. He pinned her to the ground and stared into her eyes. "So finish it… Just swear to me you will spare my son…"

Brom dropped the sword and kissed Selena, she pushed him away and slapped him. They stared at each other again and they kissed with more intensity. An hour later they were in a suit lying in each others arms "Forgive me… It has been a while…"

"Morzan hasn't touched me like that in a while and when he does he is drunk…"

"We could kill him and his blasted dragon… Run away together… I know a place no one would ever find uus…"

"There is no place in the world we could hide from Galbatorix… His power is growing and it knows no limit…"

Brom sat up and looked at her, "I love you and through you your son… run away with me…"

She sighed, "I can't… but I can help you by giving you information about Galbatorix… Where his servants are vulnerable… When Morzan is drunk he talks in his sleep…"

Brom laughed, "Let us talk of more pleasant things… Where are you from…"

Brom and Selena's affair was a passionate one and Selena helped Brom and the Varden whenever she could. When Morzan wanted intimacy she would slip something into his drink in order to make him think they had. Things went on like this for a good while, Brom and Selena would sometimes meet up to be with each other when they were on a mission or they would meet in Morzan's castle.

It was midnight Morzan and Selena were in Urubaen. Selena was awakened by a voice in her head. The voice was calling to her and telling her to come to the thrown room. Fear gripped her as she thought it was Galbatorix. ("Do not fear no one will discover you I have seen to that…")

When Selena entered the thrown room the black dragon Shruiken was standing at the bottom of the stares to Galbatorix's thrown. Smoke was streaming from his nostrils, ("We have never had the time to speak Black Hand… I am Shruiken…")

Selena was nervous and forgot she could speak with her mind. "Um… we are well met…" Selena said bowing.

("You are safe and we can talk freely… I have placed everyone including Galbatorix in a deep sleep…")

"What do you want?"

"I want many things… Most of all my freedom… That will never happen… I will die or become an abomination if he dies… I asked you here Black Hand because I have no love for Galbatorix… At times I can resist him and ignore his madness like now… I know about you and the dragonless rider… The next time you are with him tell him that Galbatorix has three dragon eggs in his possession… Tell him that he must try to steal them… Do you know the tests the riders of old used to see if someone had the gift to touch an egg…"

Selena was breathing heavy shocked at the fact that Galbatorix's own dragon was betraying him. "Yes… Um… Morzan used a few on me…"

("Galbatorix's servants are sneaking hopefuls into his palace to touch the eggs… You must tell Brom to destroy these hopefuls… Go now Black Hand… We shall not speak again you and I…")

"I have something to tell you…" Selena said to Brom the next time they were together, it would be the last time they were together. She told him about the eggs and the hopefuls chosen to touch Galbatorix's eggs.

"I have a mission for you…" Morzan said. Selena had been sick before he arrived and she realized that she was pregnant again and since it had been a while since she had been intimate with Morzan the child was Brom's. When Morzan said he had a mission for her she immediately had the idea that she could hide her second son from Galbatorix and Morzan. ("If Brom managed to kill Morzan then she would run away with Brom and my son.")

"I shall leave immediately…" She said after he told her what the mission was.


	29. Chapter 29

Part 2. Brom And Jeod

Brom couldn't believe it when Selena told him about the dragon eggs; his every thought now was to steal them from Galbatorix. The first thing he did was send a message to Ajihad the current leader of the Varden, then he gathered his best spies and assassins to train them in killing potential hopefuls. It took one week and that is when Brom received a message from his friend about a man named Jeod.

Brom traveled to Teirm and it was a man named Farrius who introduced Brom to Jeod. Jeod was a well educated man tall and slim with a bit of a hard edge to him.

They stood over a round table with the plans to the city of what was Ilirea and now being called Urubaen. "Where did you get this…" Brom asked.

"I am a scholar more or less…" Jeod said, "My father is a shipping merchant anyway… I was clerking for the Lord of Crumwall and stumbled across this scroll… I have always wanted to fight for the Varden…"

Brom smiled rubbing his hands across the scroll, "You will have your chance…"

"Brom we could use this information to assassinate Galbatorix…"

Brom looked at Farrius, "I have something else in mind…" He rolled the scroll up, "Farrius find me Hemarth…"

Farrius sneered, "What do you want with that rat…"

"I have something that needs stealing…"

Farrius and Jeod looked at each other, 'What…"

"Not now… I will tell you when we meet in two months in Dras Leona… Tell Hemarth the job pays fifty thousand crowns…" The jaws of the two men dropped.

That day they left, Farrius to seek out the thief Hemarth and Brom took Jeod to meet with the Varden in Aberon. As they traveled Brom and Jeod became good friends, because they had a lot in common. When they reached Aberon Brom introduced Jeod to Ajihad, Arya, King Larkin, and a dwarf named Hurmese of the Dugrimst Ingeitum.

"My friends… Jeod here has discovered a secret passage into Urubaen… I have some news that will level the playing field with Galbatorix… I and many of you believed that there were no more dragon eggs left in Alagaesia… We all were wrong… Galbatorix has three eggs in his possession… Hidden in the treasury… I will hire a thief to steal the eggs right from under his nose…"

No one couldn't believe it especially Arya, but it was Hurmese who said; "Do we really want another rider… The riders of old failed to stop Galbatorix's rise to power… The Varden has gotten along fine without one and who is to say the eggs will hatch for us… Many of the dwarf clans won't take kindly to this…"

Ajihad looked at the dwarf, "Be that as it may the humans and the elves have more stake in stealing the eggs if possible… How long will it take…"

"I need gold… fifty thousand crowns…"

Ajihad looked at Arya who had yet to say a word, but he knew her mind was racing, "Brom that is no small amount… The Varden's finances aren't what they should be…"

"How soon do you need the gold…" King Larkin asked.

"The sooner the better…"

"I can have it in three days… but I need to be reimbursed with at least half…"

Ajihad ran a hand through his hair, "I think we can manage that…"

"I also need a small band of men to help me transport the money… All must be ready in three days…"

They all agreed and Jeod beamed at the prospect of helping something so monumental happening because of him. Brom was in his room scrying Selena, but to his hurt he could not find her, ("Why are you blocking me…") He thought to himself. That is when a knock came to his door, he opened to find Arya.

'May I speak with you?"

"Of course come in… Would you like something to drink…"

She raised her hand, :No…" She took a seat, "Do you know what this means…"

Brom sighed, "I do…"

"Then you also know that the eggs should go to the elves… Who else can destroy Galbatorix… "

Brom sighed, "Arya…"

"Brom… It was a human who betrayed the oaths made between the three races…"

"I am human as well Arya… Do you condemn me for what Galbatorix has done?"

"No…" She sighed, "When the queen finds out…"

"I know what will happen when Islanzadi finds out… We will deal with that when it comes up…"

"I still need to tell her…"

He nodded, "Do what you must…"

Arya was in her suit when she called to Faolin with her mind, she was able to speak with him because he was hedarth. At first he was happy to feel her mind touch his, but then he felt her worry about something. ("What is wrong he asked…")

She told him about Brom, Jeod and the eggs they were planning to steal from Galbatorix. ("I need you too get this information to the queen…")

Faolin sighed because of the formal way she spoke about her mother, ("I obey Arya Drottningu…")

Six months had passed and Selena walked up a road towards a small village. The village where her brother Garrow still lived. Selena had never told Morzan where she came from and she was grateful for that. Selena had completed her mission and stopped in Therinsford to change clothes and hide a pack she couldn't carry with her. No one in Carvahall knew her as the black hand or her ties to Morzan first and last of the forsworn, for Morzan was the only one left. She walked to the edge of town and looked at the collection of houses that made up the town and the farms that made up the countryside. She smiled because Horst's house was finished, when she left he was building it and Elaine his wife had named their first son Baldor.

She approached the house on the hill and knocked on the door. It was Elaine who answered, when she saw Selena her mouth opened and closed several times before she could find her voice. "Selena… Selena is that you…"

She smiled, "Yes…" Selena wore an expensive gown, with a net of pearls holding her hair up. She had a ring on every finger, but the thing that caught Elaine's attention the most was her swollen stomach. "My brother does he still live in the old house…" Selena asked after they hugged.

"No he bought the farm off the road…"

Selena smiled, "He always wanted that farm… Did he marry Marion…"

"Yes… they married two years ago… They have a son they named Roran…"

"Thank you…" Selena was about to leave, but Elaine stopped her, "Won't you come in…"

"I am sorry… I came to have my child and ask Garrow to raise him then I am leaving…" That news caused Elaine to gasped like a fish out of water. Selena didn't wait for a response and walked off. She had gone two blocks when Sloan stopped her.

"So you are back…" He looked at her stomach, "Played the whore and now your back…"

She raised an eyebrow, "And you are still the same selfish insensitive snake you have always been…"

He sneered and raised his hand to her, but Horst stopped him, "I think you need to leave…"

He jerked his hand away and left, "Thank you…"

"No problem… Elaine was watching and called me… Can I walk you to Garrow's…"

As they walked Horst told her that Sloan married Ismira and that she was two months pregnant. "I feel sorry for Ismira…"

He smiled, "I think he still loves you…"

She hunched her shoulders, "It was not meant to be…"

When Garrow opened the door he was surprised to see her and without question he allowed her to stay until her baby came.

When Brom and Jeod arrived in Dras Leona, Farrius was waiting with Hamerth. They discussed a plan to steal the eggs from Galbatorix. Hamerth agreed , but only after Brom payed him half the gold first. "We will meet you here…" He pointed to an area near Melian, because Brom had a safe house there.

After securing his gold Hamerth set out on his journey on horseback. When he neared the city Hamerth left the road. He found the gate covered tunnel beneath the bush and used acid to eat through the bars. He lit his torch and entered the tunnel, after a mile Hamerth set up some fire powder to collapse the tunnel when he returned. The tunnel came up in the treasury as Jeod indicated, Hamerth searched diligently and found a blue egg. He placed it in his satchel and that is when Graywin entered the treasury with two soldiers. Everyone froze with shock, but Hamerth took out his crossbow and killed one of the soldiers. Graywen ran off as the other soldier drew his sword. Hamerth threw a bottle of seithr oil at the man. He fell to the floor thrashing and down into the tunnel Haamerth went.

Galbatroix burst into the treasury. The green and red eggs were still there, but the blue egg, the female egg was gone. ("Morzan!") He screamed with his mind. Morzan quickly came to urubaen and so did the Razac. It was the Razac who discovered Hamerth's smell and the secret passageway. That is when the hunt began.

"He should be here by now…" Brom said pacing.

Jeod sat calmly in a chair, "My friend you should try to relax." Before Brom could answer a knock came at the door. Jeod opened the door to Farrius.

"I have news from our friend in Urubaen… Morzan and the Razac were summoned to the black citidel… Hamerth has vanished… He didn't meet our people at the rendezvous…"

Brom began to swear, "That two faced snake… I should have taken care of this myself…"

"What do you want me to do…"

Brom sighed and began packing his sack, but he stopped to hand Farrius a note. "That is a map to the location where Hamerth hid the gold I payed him… recover it and return to Aberon… I will make arrangements about the rest of the gold…"

Jeod stood up, "What about me…"

"You are coming with me…"

"How will you find Hamerth?" Farrius asked.

"There are one of two places that weasel could have gone… Neither of which I want to visit, but what will be… will be…"

"I do not like the sound of this…" Jeod said.

Brom smiled, "Let us go we have no time…"

Brom traveled by foot using his ring Aren to quiken their pace. When they stopped to eat Jeod would complain about the unnatural speed at which they traveled. Brom just laughed and said it was necessary especially since Morzan had the advantage of his dragon. After two months of searching, Brom's journey brought him to Gilead. As they approached the city Brom saw Morzan flying into the city.

('So here is where it ends… Either I will kill him or he will kill me…") He looked at Jeod who had a scar on his head from a fight they got in while traveling. Jeod opted to keep the scar as a momento of his adventure. "Listen to me… If we get separated… Just run and don't wait for me… Find a place to hide and then leave when the coast is clear…"

Jeod nodded and then they snuck into the city. Brom could feel Morzan and he allowed him to sense him as well. He also felt Hamerth as well and his terror, as the two companions rounded a corner there was a great roar that preceded a blast of fire from Morzan's red dragon. Brom shoved Jeod to the ground and from the angle of the flames Jeod assumed that Brom had died in the flames. In his mind Jeod felt an urge to run. The dragon turned his burning eyes on him and leapt into the air chasing the man. Just as another blast of fire erupted from his mouth Jeod dived into a well. He could hear the dragon digging around the well, but something drew its attention and all was quiet. Then a soldier came to the well and looked down on Jeod. He smiled pulling a crossbow from his belt and shot the soldier in the head. He climbed up out of the well to see many of the buildings on fire. Jeod tried looking for Brom, but again something in his mind urged him to leave. He removed the armor from a dead soldier, stole a horse, and left Gilead.

Morzan stood over Hamerth as he was on his knees, Morzan slid his sword from his gullet after learning where the thief hid the egg. Morzan made his way to the roof of a building on the east side and there in the chimney was the egg in a leather satchel. When he turned to leave Brom was standing behind him sword drawn and dripping with blood.

"You… Brom knocker… I suppose you were behind this theft…"

He smiled, "That and more, your dragon is dead…"

"You lie…"

Brom shook his head, he had been mimicking the red dragons beast like nature with his mind. When he ended connection Morzan realized that it had been coming from Brom. Morzan dropped the egg drawing Zarroc, he screamed as he charged Brom. Their swords met in mid-air as they danced around each other in a deadly duel. They added punches and kicks to their repartee as they fought, they also wrestled with each others thoughts trying to dominate one another.

Brom punched Morzan in the jaw, but he spun around trying to decapitate Brom, who ducked. Brom came up with uppercut, that caused Morzan to stumble backwards. He managed to correct his stance and leapt at Brom tackling him. They wrestled on the ground and when Brom started to gain the advantage Morzan stuck his legs under Brom and flipped him over. Brom landed on his feet and they charged one another again. They locked swords and stared at each other with all the hate they had for each other.

When they broke the stand off both men were breathing heavy, "Where is she… My Black Hand… Did you kill her…"

Brom froze in disbelief, Morzan didn't know where she was and if that was the case he feared she could have been hurt by one of the Varden. Especially since Brom never told anyone of their affair. Brom couldn't let her disappearance distract him, he needed to defeat Morzan, secure the egg, and find her before it was too late. A thought came to his mind and he said; "You mean Selena…"

Morzan sneered and charged Brom again yelling incoherently. "What have you done to her where is she?" He swung left and right, he flourished his sword and rammed Brom with his shoulder. Brom went into a roll and came up on his feet deflecting an overhead attack. Brom back tracked and smiled, because Morzan was getting careless.

"I don't know where Selena is… Where ever she is I hope she is alright…" Brom watched with delight as Morzan's face twisted in disgust and he could only guess at what conclusions Morzan was coming too. In the ancient language he said; _"Selena and I were lovers… I went to your castle to kill her… but we fell in love… She confided in me how utterly disgusted she had become with you… I hope she is alright… Then she and I can take Murtagh and live our lives in peace… Ellesmera is the perfect place to raise Murtagh at the least he won't become a bloody traitor like his father…"_

It was a dirty thing to do, but it gained Brom the advantage he needed to end their fight quickly. Morzan lost all self control as he charged Brom with reckless abandon. Brom held nothing back in his arsenal of moves. Brom would switch hands, make feints, and spin a pattern of steel around Morzan the likes of which he wasn't ready for. Brom allowed Morzan to knock his sword from his hand and when Morzan thrust forward, Brom grabbed his sword hand and broke his arm. Then he snatched Zarroc from Morzan and stabbed him with his own sword.

"For Vrael…" He yelled, "For Oromis… For the Riders… Now die! _Brisinger!" _Brom stabbed Morzan each time he spoke and then with the word Brisinger he released all the energy in the jewel. Morzan was torn to pieces by the energy from his own sword. Brom fell to his knees panting, "It is over… I have fulfilled my vow…" He picked up the egg and placed it in the satchel, then he retrieved his sword and took the red sheath Zarroc belonged in. Then Brom left, as parts of Gilead was on fire from Morzan's red dragon. Brom hid the egg where Arya could find it then he made all haste to reach Morzan's fortress.

Galbatorix arrived on Shruiken at sunrise, the fires had been put out, but smoke still arose from the city. He found Morzan's dragon dead, the dragon's body had been ripped apart by some powerful spell. Then he found what was left of Morzan, the egg was gone.

When Brom entered Morzan's fortress he was greeted by Tornac who knew all about Selena and Brom with a pat on his shoulder Tornac told Brom that Selena was dead. Brom fell to his knees mourning his love. When he entered the room three year old Murtagh was kneeling beside his mother's bed. Brom knelt down beside the boy and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Murtagh was allowed to pick the spot where his mother would be buried. Selena was buried in her garden among her flowers. After he said a few words over her grave Brom questioned the staff as to her health when she arrived. He was intent on finding the people who hurt her and kill them, but as he listened to the servants Brom realized that Selena had been pregnant.

("I have a son…") He thought to himself. Brom erased all evidence from the minds of the servants then he got ready to leave. ("Too many things to do before I reach Carvahall…")

"What about Murtagh… Aren't you going to take him with you…" Tornac asked.

Brom sighed, "I wish I could… but if I did Galbatorix would never stop hunting him… and then Galbatorix thinks I am dead… He is better off here…" Brom sighed and placed a hand on Tornac's shoulders. "For Selena's sake and mine watch over the boy…"

"I will my friend… I will teach him as if he were my own son…"

Brom left a day before Galbatorix arrived. He traveled up the coast by boat to Aroughs and from Aroughs Brom crossed the river into Dauth. He rested in Dauth for two days then he made his way to Aberon, but he kept his presence a secret from King Larkin. Then Brom was heading to the Beor Mountains and Tronjheim. Brom gained entrance into the city through the king's passage and in private he met with Ajihad, Hrothgar, Queen Islanzadi, and Arya in private. They were happy to see him alive and he was happy to learn that the egg had been retrieved by Arya.

"Perhaps you can settle a dispute Brom…" Ajihad said.

"There is nothing to discuss…" Islanzadi said in anger, "We elves should be responsible for the egg… You agree Hrothgar with me… that we don't need another Galbatorix…"

Ajihad was just as blunt, "You forget yourself elf queen… It was humans who recovered the egg in the first place…"

'And a human who broke the old alliances…"

The argument went back and forth, threats were made and in the heat of the moment insults as well. Brom had enough and shouted; _"BE STILL…" _When everyone grew quiet he looked at everyone. "I have a solution… Now elves and humans have more stake in the matter of this egg… So a compromise is needed… Arya can serve as egg carrier and protector… The egg will remain here in Tronjheim for one year… During which time the Varden will allow their children to touch the egg… If nothing happens then Arya will take the egg to a designated Elven city where it will remain for year there… Elven children will be allowed to touch it… Whatever happens will happen… but I will teach the person for one year if it does hatch…"

Brom's plan was taken with a grain of salt, but Islanzadi said, "I agree with your plan Brom-Elda but the egg will probable hatch for an elf…" Ajihad rolled his eyes, "That being the case if you die before the egg hatches we elves are free to teach the rider however we see fit… Human or elf…"

Reluctantly Ajihad agreed, "I pray to Guntera that the egg hatches for the elves…" Hrothgar said.

Ajihad stood up, "So be it then…"

"Wait…" Brom said, he asked him to let it stand for everyone to think he was dead. "I have my reasons…" He replied cryptically. After they agreed to contact Brom only if absolutely necessary Brom told them where he could be found. Islanzadi decided to remain in Tronjheim for the first year to see if the egg would hatch. Meanwhile Brom left in secret to travel to Ellesmera, because there was only one person in all of Alagaesia he could trust with his deepest secret and that was Oromis. It took a month to reach the pinewood city and when he did Brom tried his best to sneak into the city without drawing attention to himself, but it was impossible. News of Morzan's death and the theft of the egg echoed the pinewood city thanks to Islanzadi. All the elves wanted to thank brom for the great deed he had done and to hear of his adventures.

After a throng of elves Brom finally made it to Oromis' hut and after a proper greeting Brom, Glaedr, Oromis sat before Oromis' hut to talk.

"_Master I need you to swear never to reveal this to anyone unless the person it concerns find out or needs to know…" _Both Dragon and Rider swore, the Brom told them of his affair with Selena, how she helped him help the Varden and his duel with Morzan. _"She named him Eragon…" _Oromis raised an eyebrow while Glaedr growled a soft rumble. _"I am heading there now to Carvahal…"_

"_Since you swore us to secrecy I assume you aren't going to claim the boy…" _Oromis asked in a disapproving tone of voice.

"_Galbatorix may think I am dead… but that doesn't reduce the danger to my son… I can watch over him from a distance…"_

_("There is a great significance to her naming your son after the first rider… Your son may have a great future before him…") _Glaedr said. He knew more, but would say to either Brom or Oromis. Brom gave Oromis a fairth of Selena to hold for him, then he left for Carvahal where he bought a house and when Garrow came to the village with his family Marion, Roran, and baby Eragon, Brom's heart swelled up in pride when he saw his son. The entire village was having their yearly summer festival. Little Eragon wondered away from his family and grabbed Brom by the leg. With a heavy heart he scooped the boy and blessed him in the ancient language, before Marion came and got him.


End file.
